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UNIVERSITY 


LIBRARY 


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LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


Laugh  and  Live 


Laugh  and  Live 


By 

DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK 


Britton  Publishing  Company 


Copyright,  1917 
by 

Britton  Publishing  Company,  Inc, 


Made  in  U.  S.  A. 


All  Rights  Reserved 


Laugh  and  Live 


TO  MY  MOTHER 


CONTENTS 


Chapter 

I.  “Whistle  and  Hoe — Sing  As  We  Go” 

II.  Taking  Stock  of  Ourselves  . 

III.  Advantages  of  an  Early  Start  . 

IV.  Profiting  by  Experience  .... 

V.  Energy,  Success  and  Laughter  . 

VI.  Building  Up  a Personality  . 

VII.  Honesty,  the  Character  Builder 

VIII.  Cleanliness  of  Body  and  Mind  . 

IX.  Consideration  for  Others 

X.  Keeping  Ourselves  Democratic  . 

XI.  Self-Education  by  Good  Reading  . 

XII.  Physical  and  Mental  Preparedness  . 

XIII.  Self-Indulgence  and  Failure  . 

XIV.  Living  Beyond  Our  Means  . 

XV.  Initiative  and  Self-Reliance  . 

XVI.  Failure  to  Seize  Opportunities  . 

XVII.  Assuming  Responsibilities 

XVIII.  Wedlock  in  Time 

XIX.  Laugh  and  Live 

XX.  A “Close-Up”  of  Douglas  Fairbanks 


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155 

163 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Laugh  and  Live 
Do  You  Ever  Laugh? 

Over  the  Hedge  and  on  His  Way 
Preparing  to  Pair  With  the  Prickly  Pear 
A Little  Spin  Among  the  Saplings 
Over  the  Hills  and  Far  Away — ^Father  and  Son 
A Scene  from  “His  Picture  in  the  Papers” 

A Scene  from  “The  Americano” — Matching  Wits  for  Gold 
Taking  on  Local  Color 
A Scene  from  “His  Picture  in  the  Papers” 
Douglas  Fairbanks  in  “The  Good  Bad-Man” 
Squaring  Things  With  Sister — From  “The  Habit  of 
Happiness” 

A Scene  from  “In  Again — Out  Again” 
Bungalowing  in  California 

Demonstrating  the  Monk  and  the  Hand-Organ  to  a 
Body  of  Psychologists 

“Wedlock  in  Time” — ^The  Fairbanks’  Family 
Here’s  Hoping 
A Close-Up 


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LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


CHAPTER  I 

“whistle  and  hoe — SING  AS  WE  GO” 

There  is  one  thing  in  this  good  old  world  that 
is  positively  sure — happiness  is  for  all  who  strive 
to  he  happy — and  those  who  laugh  are  happy. 

Everybody  is  eligible — you — ^me — the  other 
fellow. 

Happiness  is  fundamentally  a state  of  mind — 
not  a state  of  body. 

And  mind  controls. 

Indeed  it  is  possible  to  stand  with  one  foot  on 
the  inevitable  “banana  peel”  of  life  with  both  eyes 
peering  into  the  Great  Beyond,  and  still  be 
happy,  comfortable,  and  serene — if  we  will  even 
so  much  as  smile. 

It’s  all  a state  of  mind,  I tell  you — and  I’m 
sure  of  what  I say.  That’s  why  I have  taken 

9 


10 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


up  my  fountain  pen.  I want  to  talk  to  my  friends 
— ^you  hosts  of  people  who  have  written  to  me 
for  my  recipe.  In  moving  pictures  all  I can  do 
is  act  my  part  and  grin  for  you.  What  I say  is 
a matter  of  your  own  inference,  but  with  my  pen 
I have  a means  of  getting  around  the  “silent 
drama”  which  prevents  us  from  organizing  a 
“close-up”  with  one  another. 

In  starting  I’m  going  to  ask  you  “foolish 
question  number  1.” — 

Do  you  ever  laugh  ? 

I mean  do  you  ever  laugh  right  out — spontan- 
eously— ^just  as  if  the  police  weren’t  listening 
with  drawn  clubs  and  a finger  on  the  button 
connecting  with  the  “hurry-up”  wagon?  Well, 
if  you  don’t,  you  should.  Start  off  the  morning 
with  a laugh  and  you  needn’t  worry  about  the  rest 
of  the  day. 

I like  to  laugh.  It  is  a tonic.  It  braces  me 
up — makes  me  feel  fine ! — and  keeps  me  in  prime 
mental  condition.  Laughter  is  a physiological 
necessity.  The  nerve  system  requires  it.  The 
deep,  forceful  chest  movement  in  itself  sets  the 


“WHISTLE  AND  HOE— SING  AS  WE  GO”  11 


blood  to  racing  thereby  livening  up  the  circu- 
lation— ^which  is  good  for  us.  Perhaps  you  hadn’t 
thought  of  that  ? Perhaps  you  didn’t  realize  that 
laughing  automatically  re-oxygenates  the  blood 
— your  blood — and  keeps  it  red?  It  does  all  of 
that,  and  besides,  it  relieves  the  tension  from  your 
brain. 

Laughter  is  more  or  less  a habit.  To  some 
it  comes  only  with  practice.  But  what’s  to  hin- 
der practising?  Laugh  and  live  long — if  you 
had  a thought  of  dying — laugh  and  grow  well — ■ 
if  you’re  sick  and  despondent — laugh  and  grow 
fat — ^if  your  tendency  is  towards  the  lean  and 
cadaverous — ^gh  and.^ujaeefid — if  you’re  glum 
and  “unlucky” — ^laugh  and  nothing  can  faze  you 
— not  even  the  Grim  Reaper — for  the  man  who 
has  laughed  his  way  through  life  has  nothing  to 
fear  of  the  future.  His  conscience  is  clear. 

Wherein  lies  this  magic  of  laughter?  For  magic 
it  is — a something  that  manufactures  a state  of 
felicity  out  of  any  condition.  We’ve  got  to  admit 
its  charm;  automatically  and  inevitably  a laugh 
cheers  us  up.  If  we  are  bored — nothing  to  do — 


12 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


just  laugh — that’s  something  to  do,  for  laughter 
is  synonymous  with  action,  and  action  dispels 
gloom,  care,  trouble,  worry  and  all  else  of  the 
same  ilk. 

Real  laughter  is  spontaneous.  Like  water 
from  the  spring  it  bubbles  forth  a creation  of 
mingled  action  and  spontaneity — two  magic  po- 
tions in  themselves — the  very  essence  of  laughter 
— the  unrestrained  emotion  within  us ! 

So,  for  me,  it  is  to  laugh!  Why  not  stick 
along?  The  experiment  won’t  hurt  you.  All 
we  need  is  will  power,  and  that  is  a personal  mat- 
ter for  each  individual  to  seek  and  acquire  for 
himself.  Many  of  us  already  possess  it,  but  many 
of  us  do  not. 

Take  the  average  man  on  the  street  for  exam- 
ple. Watch  him  go  plodding  along — no  spring, 
no  elasticity,  no  vim.  He  is  in  check-rein — how 
can  he  laugh  when  his  pep  is  all  gone  and  the 
sand  in  his  craw  isn’t  there  any  more?  What 
he  needs  is  spirit!  Energy — the  power  to  force 
himself  into  action!  For  him  there  is  no  hope 
unless  he  will  take  up  physical  training  in  some 


“WHISTLE  AND  HOE— SING  AS  WE  GO”  13 


form  that  will  put  him  in  normal  physical  condi- 
tion— after  that  everything  simplifies  itself.  The 
brain  responds  to  the  new  blood  in  circulation  and 
thus  the  mental  processes  are  ready  to  make  a 
fight  against  the  inertia  of  stagnation  which  has 
held  them  in  bondage. 

And,  mind  you,  physical  training  doesn’t  neees- 
sarily  mean  going  to  an  expert  for  advice.  One 
doesn’t  have  to  make  a mountain  out  of  a mole- 
hill. Get  out  in  the  fresh  air  and  walk  briskly — 
and  don’t  forget  to  wear  a smile  while  you’re  at 
it.  Don’t  over-do.  Take  it  easy  at  first  and  build 
on  your  effort  day  by  day.  A little  this  morning 
— a little  more  tonight.  The  first  chance  you  have, 
when  you’re  sure  of  your  wind  and  heart,  get  out 
upon  the  country  road,  or  cross-country  hill  and 
dale.  Then  run,  run,  run,  until  you  drop  ex- 
hausted upon  some  grassy  bank.  Then  laugh, 
loud  and  long,  for  you’re  on  the  road  to  happi- 
ness. 

Try  it  now — don’t  wait.  Today  is  the  day  to 
begin.  Or,  if  it  is  night  when  you  run  across 
these  lines,  drop  this  book  and  trot  yourself 


14 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


around  the  block  a few  times.  Then  come  back 
and  you’ll  enjoy  it  more  than  you  would  other- 
wise. Activity  makes  for  happiness  as  nothing 
else  will  and  once  you  stir  your  blood  into  little 
bubbles  of  energy  you  will  begin  to  think  of 
other  means  of  keeping  your  bodily  house  in  or- 
der. Unless  you  make  a first  effort  the  chances 
are  you  will  do  very  little  real  thinking  of  any 
kind — we  need  pep  to  think. 

Think  what  an  opportunity  we  miss  when 
stripped  at  night  if  we  fail  to  give  our  bodies  a 
round  of  exercise.  It  is  so  simple,  so  easy,  and 
has  so  much  to  do  with  our  sleep  each  night  and 
our  work  next  day  that  to  neglect  to  do  so  is 
a crime  against  nature.  And  laugh ! Man  alive, 
if  you  are  not  in  the  habit  of  laughing,  get  the 
habit.  Never  miss  a chance  to  laugh  aloud.  Smil- 
ing is  better  than  nothing,  and  a chuckle  is  better 
still — but  out  and  out  laughter  is  the  real  thing. 
Try  it  now  if  you  dare!  And  when  you’ve  done 
it,  analyze  your  feelings. 

I make  this  prediction — if  you  once  start  the 
habit  of  exercise,  and  couple  with  it  the  habit 


White  Studio 


Do  You  Ever  Laugh  ? 


“WHISTLE  AND  HOE— SING  AS  WE  GO”  15 


of  laughter,  even  if  only  for  one  short  week — 
you’ll  keep  it  up  ever  afterwards. 

And,  by  the  way,  Friend  Reader, — don’t  be 
alarmed.  The  personal  pronouns  "I”  and  "'you’ 
give  place  in  succeeding  chapters  to  the  more  con- 
genial editorial  ‘"we.”  I couldn’t  resist  the  temp- 
tation to  enjoy  one  brief  spell  of  intimacy  just 
for  the  sake  of  good  acquaintance.  Have  a laugh 


CHAPTER  II 


TAKING  STOCK  OF  OUESELYES 

Experience  is  the  real  teacher,  but  the  matter 
of  how  we  are  going  to  succeed  in  life  should  not 
be  left  to  ordinary  chance  while  we  are  waiting 
for  things  to  happen.  Our  first  duty  is  to  pre- 
pare ourselves  against  untoward  experiences,  and 
that  is  best  done  by  taking  stock  of  our  mental 
and  physical  assets  at  the  very  outset  of  our  jour- 
ney. What  weaknesses  we  possess  are  excess 
baggage  to  be  thrown  away  and  that  is  our  reason 
for  taking  stock  so  early.  It  is  likely  to  save  us 
from  riding  to  a fall. 

There  is  one  thing  we  don’t  want  along — fear. 
We  will  never  get  anywhere  with  that,  nor  with 
any  of  its  uncles,  aunts  or  cousins — Envy,  Malice 
and  Greed.  In  justice  to  our  own  best  interests 
we  should  search  every  crook  and  cranny  of  our 
hearts  and  minds  lest  we  venture  forth  with  any 

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TAKING  STOCK  OF  OURSELVES 


17 


such  impedimenta.  There  is  no  excuse,  and  we 
have  no  one  to  blame  if  we  allow  any  of  them  to 
journey  along  with  us.  We  know  whether  they 
are  there  or  not  just  as  we  would  know  Courage, 
Trust  and  Honor  were  they  perched  behind  us 
on  the  saddle. 

It  is  idle  to  squeal  if  through  association  with 
the  former  we  find  ourselves  ditched  before  we 
are  well  under  way — for  it  is  coming  to  us,  sooner 
or  later.  We  might  go  far,  as  some  have  done, 
through  the  lanes  and  alleys  of  ill-gotten  gains 
and  luxurious  self-indulgence,  but  we  would  pay 
in  the  end.  So,  why  not  charge  them  up  to 
“profit  and  loss”  at  the  start  and  kick  them  off 
into  the  gutter  where  they  belong?  They  are  not 
for  us  on  our  eventful  journey  through  life,  and 
the  time  to  get  rid  of  them  once  and  for  all  is 
when  we  are  young,  and  mentally  and  physically 
vigorous.  Later  on  when  the  fires  burn  low  and 
we  still  have  them  with  us  they  will  he  hard  to 
push  aside. 

“To  thine  own  self  be  true,”  says  the  great 
Shakespeare  and  how  can  we  be  true  to  our  own 


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LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


selves  if  we  train  with  inferiors?  We  are  known 
by  our  companionships.  We  will  be  rated  ac- 
cording to  association — good  or  bad.  The  two 
will  not  mix  for  long  and  we  will  be  one  sort  of 
a fellow  or  the  other.  We  can’t  be  both. 

There  was  a time,  long  years  ag9,  in  the  days 
of  our  grandfathers,  when  men  went  to  the  “bow- 
wows” and,  later  on,  “came  back”  as  it  were,  by 
making  a partial  success  in  life — measured 
largely  by  the  money  they  succeeded  in  accumu- 
lating. That  was  before  the  “check-up”  system 
was  invented.  Today  things  are  different. 
Questions  are  asked — “Where  were  you  last?” — 
“Why  did  you  leave  there?” — “Have  you  creden- 
tials?”— and  when  we  shake  our  weary  head  and 
walk  away,  we  fondly  wish  we  had  “taken  stock” 
back  there  when  the  “taking”  was  good. 

“To  thine  own  self  be  true;  and  it  must  follow 
as  the  night  the  day,  thou  canst  not  then  be 
false  to  any  man.” 

When  we  can  analyze  ourselves  and  find  that 
we  are  living  up  to  the  quoted  lines  above  we  may 


TAKING  STOCK  OF  OURSELVES 


19 


safely  lift  the  limit  from  our  aspirations.  Right 
here  it  is  well  to  say  that  success  is  not  to  be  com- 
puted in  dollars  and  cents,  nor  that  the  will  to 
aehieve  a successful  life  is  to  be  predicated  upon 
the  mere  accumulation  of  wealth.  First  of  all, 
good  health  and  good  minds — then  we  may  laugh 
loud  and  long — we’re  safe  on  “first.” 

So,  with  these  two  weapons  we  may  dig  down 
into  our  aspirations,  and,  keeping  in  view  that  our 
policy  is  that  of. honesty  to  ourselves  and  toward 
our  fellow  man,  all  we  need  to  do  is  to  go  about' 
the  program  of  fife  cheerfully  and  stout  of  heart 
— for  now  we  are  in  a state  of  preparedness. 

We  are  at  the  point  where  vision  starts.  Along 
with  this  vision  must  come  the  courage  of  convic- 
tions in  order  that  we  may  feel  that  our  ideas 
are  important,  and  because  we  have  sueh 
thoughts,  we  shall  surely  succeed.  It  has  often 
been  noticed  that  when  we  have  had  a large  con- 
ception and  have  with  force,  character,  and 
strength  of  will  carried  it  into  effect,  immediately 
thereafter  a host  of  people  have  been  able  to  say : 
“I  thought  of  that  myself!”  Most  of  us  have 


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LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


had  the  same  experience  after  reading  of  a great 
discovery  that  we  had  thrown  overboard  because 
it  must  not  have  been  “worth  while”  or  someone 
else  would  already  have  thought  of  it. 

The  man  who  puts  life  into  an  idea  is  acclaimed 
a genius,  because  he  does  the  right  thing  at  the 
right  time.  Therein  lies  the  difference  between 
the  genius  and  a commonplace  man. 

We  all  have  ambitions,  but  only  the  few 
achieve.  A man  thinks  of  a good  thing  and  says : 
“Now  if  I only  had  the  money  I’d  put  that 
through.”  The  word  “if”  was  a dent  in  his  cour- 
age. With  character  fully  established,  his  plan 
well  thought  out,  he  had  only  to  go  to  those  in 
command  of  capital  and  it  would  have  been  forth- 
coming. He  had  something  that  capital  would 
cheerfully  get  behind  if  he  had  the  courage  to 
back  up  his  claims.  To  fail  was  nothing  less  than 
moral  cowardice.  The  will  to  do  had  not  been 
efficient.  There  was  a flaw  in  the  character,  after 
all. 

Going  back,  therefore,  to  the  prescription,  we 


TAKING  STOCK  OF  OURSELVES  21 

\ 

find  that  a sound  body,  a good  mind,  an  honest 
purpose,  and  a lack  of  Jeoi’  are  the  essential  ele- 
ments of  success.  So,  when  we  have  conceived 
something  for  the  good  of  the  world  and  have 
allowed  it  to  go  by  default  we  have  dropped  the 
monkey-wrench  into  the  machinery  of  our  pre- 
paredness. We  must  look  about  us  for  a reason. 
Have  we  fallen  by  the  wayside  of  carelessness? 
Have  we  allowed  ourselves  to  be  discouraged  by 
cowardly  “ifs”?  Did  we  lack  the  sand?  Exactly 
so;  we  didn’t  have  the  courage  of  our  convic- 
tions. 

Life  is  the  one  great  experience,  and  those  who 
fail  to  win,  if  sound  of  body,  can  safely  lay  the 
blame  to  their  lack  of  mental  equipment.  What 
does  it  matter  if  disappointments  follow  one  after 
the  other  if  we  can  laugh  and  try  again?  Fail- 
ures must  come  to  all  of  us  in  some  degree,  but 
we  may  rise  from  our  failures  and  win  back  our 
losses  if  we  are  only  shrewd  enough  to  realize  that 
good  health,  sound  mind,  and  a cheerful  spirit 
are  necessary  adjuncts.  As  Tennyson  says: 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


“I  held  it  truth,  with  him  who  sings 
To  one  clear  harp  in  divers  tones, 

That  men  may  rise  on  stepping-stones 
Of  their  dead  selves  to  higher  things.” 

All  truly  great  men  have  been  healthy — other- 
wise they  would  have  fallen  short  of  the  mark. 
Prisons  are  filled  with  nervous,  diseased  crea- 
tures. There  is  no  doubt  but  that  most  of  these 
who,  through  ignorance,  sifted  through  to  the  bot- 
tomless pits  could  have  saved  themselves  had  they 
realized  the  truth  and  “taken  stock”  of  them- 
selves, in  time — of  course,  allowing  for  those,  who 
are  victims  of  circumstantial  evidence. 

The  prime  necessity  of  life  is  health.  With 
this,  for  mankind,  nothing  is  impossible.  But  if 
we  do  not  make  use  of  this  good  health  it  will 
waste  itself  away  and  never  come  back.  It  often 
disappears  entirely  for  lack  of  interest  on  the  part 
of  its  thoughtless  owner.  A little  energy  would 
have  saved  the  day.  A little  “pep” — and  we 
laugh  and  live.  Laughter  clings  to  good  health 
as  naturally  as  the  needle  clings  to  the  magnet. 


Over  the  Hedge  and  on.  II is  U'ai/ 


TAKING  STOCK  OF  OURSELVES 


23 


It  is  the  outward  expression  of  an  unburdened 
soul.  It  bubbles  forth  as  a fountain,  always  re- 
freshing, always  wholesome  and  sweet. 

In  taking  stock  of  ourselves  we  should  not  for- 
get that  fear  plays  a large  part  in  the  drama  of 
failure.  That  is  the  first  thing  to  be  dropped. 
Fear  is  a mental  deficiency  susceptible  of  cor- 
rection, if  taken  in  hand  before  it  gains  an  ascen- 
dency over  us.  Fear  comes  with  the  thought  of 
failure.  Everything  we  think  about  should  have 
the  possibility  of  success  in  it  if  we  are  going 
to  build  up  courage.  We  should  get  into  the 
habit  of  reading  inspirational  books,  looking  at 
inspirational  pictures,  hearing  inspirational 
music,  associating  with  inspirational  friends  and 
above  all,  we  should  cultivate  the  habit  of  mind 
of  thinking  clean,  and  of  doing,  wholesome  things. 

“Guard  thyself!”  That  is  the  slogan.  Let  us 
“take  stock”  often  and  see  where  we  stand.  We 
will  not  be  afraid  of  the  weak  points.  We  will 
get  after  them  and  get  hold  of  ourselves  at  the 
same  time.  Some  book  might  give  us  help — a fine 
play,  or  some  form  of  athletics  will  start  us  to 


24 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


thinking.  Self-analysis  teaches  us  to  see  our- 
selves in  a true  light  without  embellishments  or 
undue  optimism.  We  can  gauge  our  chances  in 
no  better  way.  If  we  grope  in  the  darkness  we 
haven’t  much  of  a chance.  “Taking  stock” 
throws  a searchlight  on  the  dark  spots  and  points 
the  way  out  of  the  danger  zone. 


CHAPTER  III 


ADVANTAGES  OF  AN  EARLY  START 

It  is  the  young  man  who  has  the  best  chance 
of  winning.  Then  why  shouldn’t  youthfulness  be 
made  a permanent  asset?  We  have  recovered 
from  the  idea  of  putting  a man  into  a sanatorium 
just  because  a few  grey  hairs  show  themselves  in 
his  head.  We  should  not  ask  him  how  old  he  is 
. . . we  should  ask:  ‘'What  can  he  do?’'  The 
young  man  may  have  the  advantage  of  years  but 
the  older  one  has  the  advantage  of  experience 
and  knowledge.  Now  if  this  older  man  could 
carry  along  with  him  that  spirit  of  youth  which 
actuated  his  earlier  activities  he  would  be  pre- 
pared against  incapacity.  Our  fate  hangs  on 
how  we  conduct  ourselves  in  youth.  The  world 
has  great  need  of  the  sober,  thoughtful  men  above 
the  fifty  line.  By  right  of  experience  and  knowl- 
edge they  should  become  our  leaders  in  the  shap- 

25 


26 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


ing  of  our  policies.  It  is  all  a matter  of  how  a 
man  comes  through,  mentally,  physically  and 
spiritually.  Age  should  not  count  against  him. 

The  first  thought  is  to  keep  heaitljy.  In  fact, 
we  cannot  harp  on  this  too  much.  The  second 
requirement  is  confidence  in  ourselves,  without 
which  our  career  is  short  lived. 

Already  we  perceive  thdt  one  must  keep  track 
of  his  inner__self.  This  breeds  confidence.  The 
very  fact  that  one  stops  to  probe  into  that  hidden 
land  of  thought  shows  that  he  is  keeping  tab  on 
himself  with  a sharp  eye.  That’s  the  stuff!  We 
mustnt  fool  ourselves.  The  majority  of  failures 
come  as  a result  of  not  being  able  to  trust  one’s 
self.  The  moment  we  doubt,  or  acknowledge  that 
Ave  cannot  conquer  a weakness,  then  we  begin  to 
go  down  hill.  It  is  a subtle  process.  We  hardly 
realize  it  at  the  time  but  as  the  days  go  by,  the 
years  roll  on,  the  final  day  of  reckoning  draws 
near  and  relentlessly  we  are  swept  along  as  drift- 
wood toward  the  lonely  beaches  of  obscurity. 
And  all  because  we  lacked  self-confidence!  We 
did  not  realize  it  until  it  was  too  late.  W e were 


ADVANTAGES  OF  AN  EARLY  START  27 


too  busy  with  self-indulgence  to  struggle  for 
success. 

jMost  of  our  troubles  in  later  life  started  with 
failure  to  take  hold  of  ourselves  when  we  were 
young.  It  may  be  that  we  put  off  making  our 
choice  of  something  to  do.  If  we  had  been  com- 
panionable to  ourselves  we  might  have  thought 
out  the  proper  course  while  taking  long  walks  in 
pursuit  of  physical  development.  That  would 
have  been  a fine  time  in  which  to  fight  out  the 
whole  problem — the  time  when  optimism  and  the 
will  to  do  are  as  natural  as  the  laughter  of  a 
child,  or  the  song  of  a bird.  That  was  the  time 
when  the  world  appeared  roseate  and  beautiful, 
when  success  lay  just  beyond  the  turn  of  the  road, 
when  failure  seemed  something  illusory  and  im- 
probable. Then  was  the  time  to  jump  in  with 
both  feet  and  a hig  hearty  laugh  to  solve  the 
problem  of  what  to  do  and  how  to  go  about  it. 
It  is  surprising  how  readily  the  world  follows  the 
individual  with  confidence.  It  is  willing  to  be- 
lieve in  him,  to  furnish  funds,  to  assist  in  any  way 
within  its  power.  And  that  is  where  the  man 


28 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


with  a smile  is  sure  to  win — for  the  man  who 
smiles  has  confidence  in  himself. 

So  long  as  we  carry  along  with  us  our  atmos- 
phere of  hearty  good  will  and  enthusiasm  we 
know  no  defeat.  The  man  who  is  gloomy,  taci- 
turn and  lives  in  a world  of  doubt  seldom  achieves 
more  than  a bare  living.  There  have  been  a few 
who  have  groaned  their  way  through  to  a com- 
petence but  in  proportion  to  that  overwhelming 
number  of  souls  who  carry  cheer  through  life  they 
are  as  nothing — ^mere  drops  in  the  bucket.  If 
the  truth  were  told  their  success  came  probably 
through  mere  chance  and  nothing  else.  Such 
people  are  not  the  ones  for  us  to  endeavor  to 
follow.  We  cannot  afford  to  allow  our  visions 
to  sour. 

Beginning  early  takes  away  timidity  and  builds 
for  success  while  we  are  young  enough  to  enjoy 
the  benefits.  Although  it  is  never  too  late  to 
start  a cheerful  life  we  don’t  have  to  kill  our- 
selves in  the  attempt.  There  is  no  necessity  for 
throwing  all  caution  to  the  winds,  but  we  should 
press  our  advantages.  With  self-analysis  comes 


ADVANTAGES  OF  AN  EARLY  START  29 


a certain  poise,  a certain  dignity  and  kindliness 
that  tempers  every  move  with  precision. 

Once  we  get  the  proper  start  we  have  only  to 
take  stock  now  and  then  in  order  to  keep  our 
machinery  in  a fine  state  of  repair.  If  we  have 
chosen  wisely  we  love  our  work  and  stick  to  it 
closely — not  forgetting  the  home  duties  and  our 
share  in  its  success.  Right  here  we  run  up 
against  the  danger  signal  if  our  business  success 
w^ins  us  away  from  the  hearthstone.  Love  of 
home  is  a quality  of  the  workers  of  the  earth. 
“What  doth  it  profit  a man  to  win  the  whole 
world  if  he  loseth  his  own  soul?” 

To  sum  up  the  case — once  we  have  made  up 
our  minds  to  win  and  how  we  are  going  to  do  it, 
the  next  step  is  to  act.  Health  is  synonymous 
with  action.  The  healthy  man  does  things,  the 
unhealthy  man  hesitates.  And  when  we  get  ready 
to  act  we  will  act  with  the  air  of  a conqueror. 
We  must  supply  from  our  own  store  our  atmos- 
phere of  confidence  in  order  to  win  confidence. 
The  successful  man  is  the  one  who  knows  he  is 
right  and  makes  us  realize  it. 


so 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


It  is  always  worth  while  to  study  the  successes 
among  our  acquaintances.  Are  they  gloomy, 
morose  and  irritable?  If  they  were  to  that  extent 
they  would  not  be  successful.  On  the  contrary, 
they  are  robust,  confident  individuals  who  have 
taken  advantage  of  every  rightful  opportunity 
and  possessed  the  power  to  smile  when  all  about 
them  were  in  the  dumps.  When  everyone  else 
thought  that  there  wasn’t  a chance  to  win  these 
fellows  stepped  in  and  took  charge. 

When  we  interview  the  failures  we  find  that 
all  of  them  give  one  excuse:  didn’t  have  the 

confidence.”  They  may  not  say  it  in  exactly 
these  words  but  the  meaning  is  plain.  They  ran 
through  the  whole  gamut  of  self-distrust  which  is 
the  natural  result  of  not  having  started  early  in 
the  study  of  self — the  serious  realization  of  their 
own  capabilities. 

This  makes  it  easy  to  understand  their  plight. 
If  we  know  ourselves  we  are  strengthened  that 
much,  because  we  can  bolster  up  our  weaknesses. 
We  will  know  enough  to  combat  timidity.  We 
can  then  know  what  we  are  capable  of,  and  thus 


Preparing  to  Pair  With  the  PricMy  Pear 


ADVANTAGES  OF  AN  EARLY  START  31 


become  conscious  of  our  innate  powers  that  only- 
need  to  be  called  into  action  in  order  to  become 
useful.  We  cannot  imagine  for  an  instant  a great 
violinist  going  out  on  the  concert  platform  in 
ignorance  of  the  condition  of  his  instrument. 
And  yet  failures  go  out  on  the  stage  of  life  know- 
ing nothing  of  their  strengths  and  weaknesses 
— and  still  expect  to  win! 

If  we  are  to  become  successes  we  must  keep 
success  in  mind — banish  all  thought  of  losing. 
Success  is  just  as  natural  as  anything  else.  It  is 
only^  a matter  of  the  mind  anyhow.  We  are  all 
successes  as  long  as  we  continue  to  think  so.  Self- 
depreciation is  a disease.  Once  it  gets  a hold  on 
us — ^good-bye ! 

And  that  is  why  it  is  wise  to  begin  early — to 
take  hold  of  affairs  while  we  are  young.  Superi- 
ority over  our  fellow  man  comes  from  a superior- 
ity of  mind  and  body.  A healthy  mind  breeds  a 
healthy  body.  The  most  superficial  study  will 
convince  us  of  this  fact. 

Appearance  counts  for  much  in  this  world.  We 
judge  largely  by  appearances.  We  haven’t  time 


32 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


to  know  everyone  we  meet  intimately  and  as  a 
result  must  base  our  opinions  upon  first  impres- 
sions. The  fellow  who  comes  in  an  office  with 
his  head  hanging  down  between  his  shoulders  and 
a frown  upon  his  face  doesn’t  get  far  with  us. 
We  find  ourselves  looking  over  his  sagging  shoul- 
ders toward  the  individual  behind  him  who  comes 
in  with  a swinging  step  and  the  confidence  born 
of  health  and  good  spirits. 

Self-confidence  in  youth  makes  for  self-con- 
fidence in  after  years.  This  is  far  from  meaning 
that  one  can  be  brazen  and  inclined  towards 
freshness  and  get  away  with  it.  It  merely  means 
the  marshalling  of  one’s  forces,  the  command  of 
one's  self  and  the  ability  to  make  others  recog- 
nize that  we  are  on  the  map  because  we  belong 
there.  And  one  of  the  quickest  ways  to  accom- 
plish this  is  to  have  a smile  tucked  away  for 
instant  use.  Again,  this  does  not  mean  that  we 
are  to  carry  round  a ready-to-wear  grin  which  we 
wear  only  as  we  are  ushered  into  the  presence  of 
another.  A real  smile,  or  a hearty  laugh,  is  not 
to  be  counterfeited.  We  easily  know  the  genuine 


ADVANTAGES  OF  AN  EAKLY  START  33 


from  the  spurious.  A real  laugh  springs  nat- 
urally out  of  a pure,  unadulterated  confidence 
and  a good  physical  condition.  What  triumphs, 
what  splendid  battles,  have  been  won  through  the 
ability  to  laugh  at  the  right  moment. 

Whenever  we  find  that  we  are  losing  our  ability 
to  smile  let’s  have  no  false  notions.  We  are  neg- 
lecting our  physical  well  being.  Let  us  then  and 
there  drop  the  sombre  thoughts  and  get  out  into 
the  open  air.  Run  down  the  street  and  if  pos- 
sible out  into  the  country.  If  we  see  a tree  and 
have  the  inclination  to  climb  it — well,  then,  climb 
it.  If  we  are  sensitive  about  what  our  neighbors 
might  say — too  bad ! But  we  can  romp  with  easy 
grace.  If  we  but  knew  hoAv  gladly  our  neighbors 
would  emulate  our  gymnastics  if  they  knew  the 
value  of  them  the  laugh  would  be  on  us  for  dread- 
ing their  opinion.  One  thing  we  do  know — they 
will  envy  us  our  good  health  and  spirits. 


CHAPTER  IV 


PROFITING  BY  EXPERIENCE 

Experience  comes  by  contact.  There  is  no 
way  we  can  have  experiences  without  passing  di- 
rectly through  them.  If  we  are  up  and  doing 
they  come  thick  and  fast  into  our  lives,  some  of 
them  weighted  down  by  the  peculiar  twists  and 
turns  of  circmnstances,  others  simple,  easily  un- 
derstood, and  still  others  complicated  to  the  point 
of  not  being  understood  at  all. 

People  are  divided  into  two  classes — those  who 
profit  by  experience  and  those  who  do  not.  The 
unfortunate  part  of  it  all  is  that  the  latter  class 
is  by  far  the  larger  of  the  two. 

The  man  of  vigorous  purpose,  fine  constitu- 
tion, and  the  full  knowledge  of  self,  sees  through 
an  experience  as  clearly  as  through  a window. 
The  glass  may  be  foggy,  but  he  knows  what  lies 
beyond.  Self-reliant  and  strong  he  seeks  knowl- 

34 


PROFITING  BY  EXPERIENCE 


35 


edge  through  experience,  while  the  weak  man, 
the  unhealthy-minded,  the  inefficient,  stands  aside 
and  gives  him  the  right  of  way.  In  later  years, 
however,  they  bitterly  complain  that  they  were 
not  given  the  same  chance  to  succeed. 

The  man  of  experience  having  long  since 
passed  through  the  stages  of  indecision  has, 
through  careful  self-analysis  learned  to  bridge 
difficulties  that  would  make  others  tremble  with 
fear.  He  knows  that  every  lane  has  a turning. 
He  may  not  see  it  at  the  moment.  He  may  not 
know  where  it  is.  But  that  doesn't  worry  him. 
He  picks  up  his  bundle  and  trudges  ahead,  con- 
fident that  victory  awaits  him  somewhere  along 
the  line. 

The  fact  that  he  believes  in  himself,  sets  him 
apart  from  ordinary  mankind.  Many  great  men 
have  been  at  loss  to  understand  why  they  attained 
success.  It  is  well  nigh  impossible  for  them  to 
outline  the  causes  that  led  them  to  the  top  rungs 
of  the  ladder.  The  reason  is  that  their  lack  of 
fear  of  experiences  was  an  unconscious  one, 
rather  than  a conscious  one.  However,  they  are 


36 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


willing  to  admit  that  acting  on  the  principle  of 
profiting  by  experience  loaned  them  initiative 
■with  which  to  proceed.  They  soon  came  to  know 
opportunity  at  sight  and  had  only  to  look  around 
to  find  it. 

The  young  man  standing  on  the  threshold  of 
life  is,  from  lack  of  experience,  puzzled  over  the 
future.  He  looks  above  him  and  sees  the  tower- 
ing successes.  He  reads  in  the  papers  of  the 
massive  characters  who  have  risen  from  the  bot- 
tom to  the  top.  Naturally  he  would  like  to  meet 
one  of  these  giants  of  success  and  hear  what  he 
has  to  say.  The  interview  is  quite  needless. 
^‘Get  busy  and  profit  by  experience”  is  about  all 
the  advice  one  man  can  give  to  another.  There 
is  no  way  to  profit  by  experience  until  we  have 
had  experience  so  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  get 
busy  and  experience  will  come  as  fast  as  we  can 
absorb  it.  Our  dutj^  is  to  strive  for  success  a,nd 
not  expect  to  attain  it  except  by  successive  steps. 
A wholesale  consignment  would  be  our  undoing. 
Quick  successes  through  luck  or  good  fortune 
have  not  the  lasting  value  of  those  won  by  virtue 


PROFITING  BY  EXPERIENCE 


37 


of  knowing  how — of  accomplishing  what  we 
started  out  to  do. 

Faith  in  one’s  self  does  not  come  from  the 
outside — it  must  spring  up  naturally  from  within. 
A healthy  body  and  a sane  mind  are  the  best 
foundations  for  this.  The  young  man  who  be- 
gins his  career  with  these  facts  in  mind  is  given 
a running  start  over  his  competitors.  Poverty 
and  failure  are  the  result  of  an  ignorance  of  the 
value  of  experience.  Worry,  anxiety,  fear  of  not 
doing  the  right  thing,  lack  of  insight  into  charac- 
ter . . . these,  too,  are  the  result  of  a lack  of 
experience. 

Good  health  is  necessary  to  experience,  but  a 
majority  neglect  to  take  care  of  it.  If  we  are 
to  profit  by  what  we  learn  we  must  have  the 
vim  with  which  to  push  forward.  We  must  have 
every  ounce  of  vitality  we  possess  at  command — 
ready  for  use.  This  we  conserve  for  the  hig 
emergency  which  we  know  is  coming.  New  ex- 
periences are  pushing  us  forward  and  previous 
experiences  are  helping  to  move  the  load.  Ex- 
perience tells  us  what  to  do  at  this  point  and  that 


38 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


— and  at  last  puts  its  shoulder  to  the  wheel  and 
^‘over  she  goes^ 

Every  mind  is  in  possession  of  an  enormous 
amount  of  dormant  power  and  only  experience 
can  release  it  into  proper  action.  We  often  hear 
a fond  mother  say  that  her  son  is  full  to  bursting 
with  the  old  nick,  which  means  that  the  young- 
ster is  overflowing  with  pent-up  energy.  With 
experience  he  could  find  good  use  for  it — but 
without  it  this  surplus  may  turn  out  to  be  a dan- 
gerous possession.  Young  men  of  this  type 
should  be  guarded  most  carefully  and  advised 
to  “get  busy”  early  in  life  at  something  worth 
while.  Many  a bright  fellow  brimming  with 
excess  power  has  gone  as  a lamb  to  the  slaughter 
into  the  maelstrom  of  vice  because  of  being  held 
back  from  legitimate  oceupation.  He  just  had  to 
blow  off  steam  so  he  did  it  in  a gin  mill  rather 
than  a rolling  mill. 

This  dynamo  called  the  mind  can  be  trained  to 
do  anything.  Not  only  can  it  be  guided  at  the 
start  but  it  can  be  guided  by  all  that  follows. 
It  can  be  used  for  building  additional  dynamos 


A Little  Spin  Among  the  Saplings 


PROFITING  BY  EXPERIENCE 


39 


to  be  called  into  action  in  times  of  need.  This 
statement  may  seem  at  first  far-fetched.  If  we 
think  so  it  is  proof  that  we  have  not  profited  by 
our  experiences  and  should  get  down  to  “stock 
taking”  before  it  is  too  late. 

The  practical  man,  after  all,  is  only  one  who 
takes  advantage  of  opportunities.  He  could 
double  and  triple  his  power  if  he  only  realized  how 
superficial  the  average  setback  really  is.  The 
young  man  has  just  as  much  chance  of  being 
considered  practical  as  the  so-called  older  one, 
always  provided  that  he  has  a store  of  experiences 
to  profit  by.  The  first  big  experience  of  life  usu- 
ally makes  or  breaks  us.  For  this  experience  we 
need  to  be  prepared.  W e must  have  a strong  heart 
that  we  may  bear  defeat  nobly  from  this  is  not  to 
be  our  last  kick — our  last  breath — not  by  a jugful! 

We  are  going  to  start  all  over  again  after  our 
setback  and  we  are  not  going  to  wait  any  longer 
than  it  takes  to  bury  the  dead.  This  will  be  done 
decently  and  in  good  order — our  training  will 
admit  of  no  indecorum.  If  the  smash  was  a bad 
one  we  will  assume  the  liability,  nevertheless,  and 


40 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


get  back  on  the  job.  We  are  out  to  win  and 
eventually  we  will  win. 

And  that  is  what  we  mean  by  taking  profit 
from  experience.  The  powers  that  break  down 
are  also  the  powers  that  build  up.  The  electrician 
who  handles  the  motor  could  just  as  well  end  his 
own  existence  by  that  mysterious  current  as  he 
could  make  use  of  it  for  the  good  of  humanity. 
He  spends  years  of  conscientious  study  and  mas- 
ters the  knowledge  of  it  so  that  its  uses  are  as 
simple  as  his  A B C’s.  There  is  no  doubt  in 
the  world  but  that  he  had  to  learn  by  experience. 
He  had  to  go  into  the  shop  and  climh  up  from 
the  bottom.  There  was  no  other  way  by  which 
he  could  come  to  know  how  to  turn  a deadly  force 
into  a well-trained  necessity. 

Yet  the  average  man  goes  into  life  with  as 
little  knowledge  of  its  forces  as  the  baby  who  puts 
its  foot  upon  the  third  rail.  That  fact  keeps 
the  thoughtless  man  down  until  experience  comes 
to  the  rescue.  When  it  does  come,  if  he  has  the 
sand,  the  com  mon  sense,  the  will  to  do,  there  is 
naught  to  hold  him  away  from  his  goal. 


CHAPTER  V 


ENERGY,  SUCCESS  AND  LAUGHTER 

There  are  many  essentials  to  success,  but  there 
is  one  that  is  of  such  importance  that  without  it 
all  the  others  become  as  naught.  The  man  who 
wins  success  is  invariably  impelled  to  do  the  great 
work  allotted  him  by  something  within  that  tells 
him  he  can.  He  may  not  Imow  exactly  what  it 
is,  but  he  knows  he  possesses  it  and  is  able  to 
act  on  that  faith,  accomplishing  things  which 
seem  utterly  impossible  to  other  people.  This 
inner  determination,  once  firmly  implanted  in 
one’s  nature,  cannot  be  destroyed  or  conquered. 
And  this  element  is  energy — energy  of  mind, 
which  rules  the  body.  But  where  does  this  come 
from?  How  do  the  great  minds  generate  this 
glorious  means  of  self-propulsion?  The  answer 

is  that  in  a healthy  body  it  is  inherent  from 

41 


'42  LAUGH  AND  LIVE 

I 

birth,  and  proper  care  of  the  body  therefore  ac- 
centuates within  their  minds  the  will  to  do. 

If  the  preceding  chapters  have  been  carefully 
read  we  may  readily  believe  that  the  successful 
youth  must  start  with  a wholesome,  generous 
viewpoint,  a good  constitution,  and  a clean  mind. 
We  have  had  an  inkling  by  this  time  of  what 
one  must  do  to  achieve  success  in  a world  where 
competition  is  keen.  We  are  beginning  to  realize 
that  these  matters  are  of  vital  importance  and 
that  we  are  face  to  face  with  a problem. 

Energy  is  the  natural  outpouring  of  a healthy 
body.  It  must  be  directed,  it  must  be  controlled, 
the  same  as  any  other  living  force.  Not  only  is 
it  a positive  necessity  to  the  winner,  but  it  must 
grow  and  become  a natural  quality.  It  does  not 
stand  after  years  of  abuse.  It  does  not  spring 
up  in  the  night  after  a long  season  of  neglect  and 
ill-health.  All  of  us  possess  it  in  varying  ways. 
That  fact  ought  to  convince  us  that  we  can  get 
hold  of  ourselves  and  build  up  that  which  nature 
has  given  us,  rather  than  allow  it  to  die  away. 
We  all  have  a certain  amount  of  energy  . . . 


V. 


ENERGY,  SUCCESS  AND  LAUGHTER  43 

why  shouldn’t  we  all  be  successes?  We  might  to 
a certain  extent,  but  that  doesn’t  mean  that  we 
shall  all  get  rich  in  the  money  sense  of  the  world. 

When  we  say;  “Why  shouldn’t  we  all  be  suc- 
cesses?” we  do  not  mean  that  everybody  in  the 
world  must  be  greedy  for  money,  nor  for  power 
and  position.  It  does  not  mean  that  we  should 
be  selfish  and  eager  to  take  everything  away  from 
the  other  fellow.  On  the  contrary,  it  means  that, 
with  energy,  we  shall  be  successful  according  to 
our  hfdm  tendency. 

Going  back  to  our  second  chapter  we  find  the 
phrase  “taking  stock”  of  ourselves.  Done  rightly 
that  alone  will  inspire  success.  Now  if  we  are 
a little  farther  along  on  the  way  towards  sane 
living  and  the  ability  to  laugh  and  we  know 
that  after  this  struggle  is  over  the  battle  is  won 
we  must  use  the  powers  that  self-analysis  gives 
us — to  fight.  The  mere  recognition  of  them  is 
power  and  we  must  not  let  them  go  to  waste. 

Energy  is  like  steam — it  cannot  be  generated 
under  the  boiling  point.  In  other  words,  half- 
heartedness never  produced  it  nor  made  it  a prac- 


44 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


tical  working  tool.  We  must  be  energetic  in 
order  to  augment  energy.  We  must  have  con- 
fidence along  with  it  . . . the  more  the  merrier. 
The  greater  the  confidence  in  ourselves  the 
greater  the  energy  which  brought  it  about.  Some 
minds  naturally  feel  confident.  These  are  the 
lucky  ones,  the  slender  few  who  have  grasped 
life’s  meaning  at  the  start  by  “taking  stock''  be- 
fore they  were  threatened  with  defeat.  Success 
comes  to  them  as  easily  as  rolling  off  the  pro- 
verbial log.  They  come  sweeping  along,  con- 
quering, sure  of  themselves,  confident,  aspiring, 
true  to  their  inner  selves,  ready  for  work,  un- 
afraid of  experiences,  and  sure  of  a smile  when 
the  clouds  are  darkest. 

This  does  not  mean  that  these  successes  have 
exceptional  ability.  If  that  were  the  case  we 
would  not  waste  time  either  in  reading  or  writing 
about  the  matter.  If  we  didn’t  feel  that  we  were 
potentially  able  to  become  successes  and  pos- 
sessed the  elements  of  victory  in  our  present 
make-up  not  another  moment  would  be  spent  on 
the  subject.  The  very  simplicity  of  this  use  of 


ENERGY,  SUCCESS  AND  LAUGHTER  45 


energy  proves  to  us  that  it  is  a quality  bubbling 
forth  in  the  least  of  us  and  the  strongest.  It 
only  needs  to  be  put  to  work  and  it  becomes  self- 
strengthening.  Laving  in  the  open  air,  sleeping 
out  of  doors,  taking  the  proper  exercise,  look- 
ing ucholesomely  upon  life,  believing  in  ou?'selves, 
are  all  parts  of  the  sane  existence  which  leads 
to  success  and  laughter. 

We  ought  to  feel  that  everything  in  life  pos- 
sesses elements  akin  to  human  feeling.  We 
should  not  arrogate  to  ourselves  the  sole  right 
to  rule  and  reason.  And  what  has  this  to  do 
with  energy?  It  is  only  one  of  the  many  vistas 
that  open  to  us  when  we  learn  how  to  laugh  and- 
live.  And  man  alive!  If  we  never  learn  to 
laugh  we  will  never  learn  to  live. 

We  must  not  forget  that  there  can  be  more 
than  one  use  made  of  energy.  In  the  same  way 
that  electricity  might  be  misused  so  might  energy 
be  placed  in  the  wrong  service.  We  must  not 
waste  any  time,  therefore,  in  getting  this  energy 
of  ours  worked  into  enthusiasm  . . . enthusiasm 
for  our  life  work,  for  our  fellow  man,  for  the 


46 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


zest  of  life.  We  must  throw  ourselves  into  the 
battle  and  carry  the  standard.  We  must  leap  to 
the  front,  not  waiting  for  the  other  fellow  to  show 
the  way.  Spend  your  enthusiasm  freely  and  be 
surprised  at  how  it  thrives  on  usage. 

Enthusiasm  being  produced  by  energy  must  of 
a necessity  depend  largely  upon  that.  Now  the 
point  is,  how  shall  we  guard  and  keep  fresh  this 
element  in  ourselves?  We  know  that  the  body  is 
producing  this  quality.  Like  the  steam  engine 
we  are  keeping  the  fires  going  bj^  exercise,  whole- 
some thinking  and  sincerity  of  purpose.  We  are 
the  engineers.  Our  hand  is  on  the  throttle. 
Sharp  turns  lie  ahead  but  our  eyes  look  forward 
fearlessly.  We  glance  about  us  to  see  that  we 
are  in  the  pink  of  condition.  We  know  that  our 
mind  is  functioning  properly  and  that  the  awak- 
ened confidence  is  already  inherent  in  our  na- 
tures and  stands  beside  us  night  and  day  like  the 
officer  upon  the  bridge  of  the  ship.  Indeed  we 
are  on  our  way! 

Out  of  energy  and  enthusiasm  comes  some- 
thing else  that  must  not  be  neglected  ...  in  fact 


White  Studio 

Over  the  Hills  and  Far  Away — Father  and  Son 


ENERGY,  SUCCESS  AND  LAUGHTER  47 


it  must  be  cultivated  and  guarded  from  the  very 
beginning  . , . laughter.  The  mere  possession 
of  energy  and  enthusiasm  makes  us  feel  like 
laughing.  We  want  to  leap  and  jump  and  dance 
and  sing.  If  we  feel  like  that  don’t  let  us  be 
afraid  to  do  it.  Get  out  in  the  air  and  run  like  a 
school  hoy.  Jump  ditches,  vault  fences,  swing 
the  arms!  Never  fail  to  get  next  to  nature  when 
responsive  to  the  call.  Indeed  we  may  woo  this 
call  from  within  ourselves  until  it  comes  to  be 
second  nature.  And  when  we  rise  in  the  morn- 
ing let  us  be  determined  that  we  wiU  start  the 
day  with  a hearty  laugh  anyhow.  Laugh  be- 
cause you  are  alive,  laugh  with  everything.  Let 
yourself  go.  That  is  the  secret — the  ability  to 
let  one’s  self  go ! 

If  we  follow  this  religiously  we  will  be  sur- 
prised how  successful  the  day  will  be.  Every- 
thing gives  way  before  it. 


CHAPTER  VI 

BUILDING  UP  A PERSONALITY 

More  and  more  personality  is  coming  into  its 
own  as  man’s  greatest  asset.  There  was  never  a 
day  when  it  was  not,  but  in  former  years  this 
essential  quality  was  not  listed  under  the  name 
. . . persoTudity.  Had  we  lived  in  the  days  of 
our  fathers’  youth  we  would  have  heard  about 
“remarkable  men,”  “men  of  big  caliber,”  “large 
character,”  “splendid  presence,”  and  the  like. 
But  it  remained  for  our  day  and  generation  to 
discover  the  real  word — personality — ^meaning 
the  most  perfect  combination  possible  of  man’s 
highest  attributes.  At  least  that  would  be  the 
definition  in  its  fullest  sense. 

Of  course  everyone  has  a certain  personality 
and,  no  matter  in  what  degree,  its  possession  is 
valuable.  Personality  is  an  acorn,  so  to  speak, 

48 


BUILDING  UP  A PERSONALITY 


49 


which  may  be  cultivated  into  a sturdy  oak.  Per- 
sonality is  one’s  inner  self  outwardly  expressed. 
It  represents  the  conquest  of  our  weaknesses  and 
naturally  impresses  our  strength  of  character 
upon  others. 

With  personality  our  foundation  is  firm.  On 
this  pedestal  we  may  stand  squarely  and  face 
life  with  equanimity.  For  such  there  is  no  end 
to  achievement  while  good  health  and  youthful 
spirit  remain. 

It  is  impossible  to  come  into  the  presence  of 
a personality  without  becoming  immediately 
aware  of  it.  It  is  reflected  by  people  of  small 
stature  . . . poor  physiques  . . . homely  visages, 
as  well  as  men  of  the  highest  physical  develop- 
ment. The  great  Napoleon  was  just  above  five 
feet  while  Lincoln  towered  over  the  six-foot  line. 
Men  of  personality  are  the  last  to  say  die.  Their 
store  of  combativeness  carries  them  beyond  their 
real  span  of  existence  either  in  years  or  achieve- 
ment. Thus,  the  mind  shows  its  mastery  over 
matter.  Alexander  Pope  was  still  Avriting  while 
propped  upon  the  pillows  of  his  death  bed.  Mark 


50 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


Twain  joked  with  friends  when  he  knew  his  hour 
was  at  hand. 

Personality  is  magrietic.  It  can  charm  the 
friend  or  put  fear  into  the  heart  of  the  enemy. 
Joan  of  Arc,  a frail  woman,  won  battles  at  the 
head  of  her  troops.  History  is  filled  with  inci- 
dents where  men  of  personality  have  turned  de- 
feat into  victory  by  leading  their  soldiers  hack 
into  the  fray. 

Wholesome  personality  is  the  fulfillment  of 
self-development — physically,  mentally  and  spir- 
itually. But  all  personality  is  not  wholesome  for 
it  often  shows  in  the  face  of  the  man  who  is  a 
rogue  at  heart.  Therefore,  all  personality  is  not 
for  the  good  of  the  world.  It  is  only  of  the  whole- 
some kind  that  we  speak.  To  such  as  possess  it 
the  goal  is  divine.  Personality  could  never  be 
perfected  without  living  a life  of  preparedness 
backed  up  by  our  most  earnest  and  honest  con- 
victions. Personality  is  made  up  of  many  quali- 
ties and  differs  in  man  only  as  man  is  different 
from  his  brother  man.  Perfect  personality  re- 
quires constant  care  in  its  development  and  con- 


BUILDING  UP  A PERSONALITY 


61 


stant  guard  for  its  safety.  It  cannot  be  pur- 
chased in  the  open  market.  It  must  be  built  upon 
piece  by  piece  and  everything  we  are  becomes  a 
part  of  it. 

Personality  would  be  indeed  imperfect  if  it 
did  not  give  us  full  poise.  If  we  neglect  our 
physical  poise  we  pull  down  our  mental  poise, 
likewise  our  spiritual  poise.  That  is  why  person- 
ality must  be  kept  constantly  protected  against 
encroachment;  but  this  can  be  so  fixed  by  pur- 
pose, plan,  and  power  of  will  that  it  becomes  au- 
tomatically safeguarded.  Once  in  possession  we 
have  only  to  make  it  part  of  our  natural  selves 
and  wear  it  unconsciously  to  the  last  breath  of 
life. 

Then  the  question  is,  why  should  we  allow  our- 
selves to  be  satisfied  with  an  imperfect  person- 
ality? It  only  reflects  back  upon  ourselves. 
Haven’t  we  often  heard  a man  say:  “He  is  all 
right  hut  ...  !”  Perhaps  the  personality  in 
question  was  untidy,  or  that  his  walk  was  that  of 
a laggard,  or  that  he  affected  an  egotistical  air 


52 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


of  superiority — whatever  the  impairment  it 
should  have  been  done  away  with. 

A man  of  personality  should  never  be  haunted 
with  worry  from  the  sneers  of  his  inferiors  be- 
cause of  their  own  laxity.  Some  men  perfect 
their  manner  of  speech  to  a degree  which  takes 
it  above  that  of  their  weaker  fellows,  others  de- 
velop fine  qualities  which  are  viewed  by  ordinary 
individuals  as  affectations  but  which  are  in  real- 
ity the  result  of  innate  refinement. 

The  man  of  no  refinement  has  indeed  an  up- 
hill fight  but  with  persistence  and  ambition  to 
succeed  he  can  win.  Lincoln,  the  rail  splitter, 
is  the  most  shining  example  of  the  power  to  will 
victory.  For  him  to  have  fallen  by  the  w^ayside 
would  have  caused  no  comment  for  it  would  have 
been  expected  in  those  early  days  of  struggle, 
but  to  those  who  have  the  benefit  of  inherited 
tendencies  toward  personality,  to  fail  in  its  de- 
velopment is  in  the  nature  of  a crime. 

Personality  does  not  mean  over-refinement. 
Sturdy  qualities  are  the  necessary  ones.  Over- 
refinement leads  to  the  softer  life  and  oftthnes  to 


BUILDING  UP  A PERSONALITY 


53 


degeneracy.  Exalted  ego  is  an  indication  of 
degeneracy  and  may  have  been  inherited.  Of 
those  things  we  inherit  that  are  good  we  must 
hold,  and  everlastingly  must  we  watch  those 
which  are  bad.  It  is  never  wise  to  wander  far 
away  from  basic  principles  into  preachment. 
What  we  need  is  guidance  along  the  road  to  the 
goal  of  personality.  First  of  all  we  need  health 
and  second,  the  'will  to  do.  Next,  we  must  use 
these  weapons  in  the  right  direction,  for  person- 
ality is  at  its  zenith  when  backed  up  by  strong 
physique  and  hrain  power. 

From  previous  chapters  we  have  learned  that 
success  of  any  kind  is  predicated  upon  keeping 
ourselves  in  trim,  and  in  good  humor.  Keeping 
in  trim  is  no  trick  at  all.  We  can  make  it  a part 
of  every  physical  action  and  as  keeping  in  trim 
means  perfection  of  body  and  soundness  of  mind 
we  should  never  neglect  to  utilize  any  effort  that 
will  help  us  toward  bodily  efficiency.  There  is 
exercise  in  stooping  over  to  pick  up  a pin  if  we 
will  go  about  it  the  right  way.  We  can  correct 
an  ill-formed  body  by  adopting  and  maintaining 


54 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


a certain  carriage.  We  may  hold  our  chin  in 
such  a way  as  to  provide  against  stooped 
shoulders. 

We  have  opportunities  both  morning  and  eve- 
ning to  indulge  in  various  forms  of  light,  sys- 
tematic exercises  which  will  push  forward  the 
day’s  work  with  zest  and  vim. 

Poise  has  everything  to  do  with  personality, 
therefore  the  physical  structure  must  come  in  for 
its  share  of  proper  attention.  No  man  of  refined 
personality  would  walk  the  streets  with  a soiled 
face  or  uncombed  hair.  Such  things  do  not  give 
poise.  They  are  the  evidences  of  a laggard  spirit. 
The  more  we  exercise  the  more  energetic  we  be- 
come, the  surer  we  are  of  ourselves,  the  farther 
we  get  in  the  development  of  our  personality. 


His  Picture  in  the  Papers 


CHAPTER  VII 


HONESTY,  THE  CHAEACTEE  BUILDEE 

Just  as  the  straight  line  is  the  shortest  dis- 
tance between  two  points  so  is  honesty  the  only 
proper  attitude  of  one  person  toward  another. 
Without  it  there  is  no  understanding  possible. 
It  must  always  remain  supreme  as  a quality  with- 
out which  character  becomes  a sham,  a superficial 
thing  that  has  no  basis  in  fact.  The  ability  to 
look  the  other  fellow  in  the  eye  is  as  necessary 
to  character  as  the  foundation  is  to  a house.  It 
comes  out  of  that  "‘great  within”  which  we  are 
now  exploring.  It  arises  from  the  courageous 
facing  of  our  weaknesses  and  becomes  a part  of 
the  man  who  knows  himself  and  laughs  with  life, 
at  the  mere  joy  of  living,  doing,  accomplishing 
. . . winning  against  all  odds. 

Honesty  accompanies  a proper  self-esteem  and 
its  cultivation  should  become  a part  of  our  ear- 

55 


56 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


liest  education.  It  doesn’t  grow  anywhere  except 
within  ourselves  and  will  never  be  handed  to  us 
on  a silver  platter.  If  w^e  fail  to  find  it  when 
we  are  young  it  will  have  small  chance  of  ob- 
taining a grip  on  us  later.  It  is  the  one  quality 
with  which  to  crown  our  highest  attributes.  It 
is  final  proof  that  we  are  capable  of  just  thought 
and  square  dealing,  and  is  proof  positive  that  we 
are  part  and  parcel  of  the  wholesome  spirit  which 
rules  the  universe.  Its  possession  is  greater  than 
riches  for  its  dividend  is  happiness  and  content- 
ment and  we  cannot  go  wrong  if  we  so  live  that 
we  can  look  any  man  in  the  eye  and  tell  him  the 
truth. 

To  live  in  the  full  sense  means  to  be  alert. 
Whatever  high  moral  plane  we  shall  achieve  must 
be  held  against  all  temptation.  There  is  no  com- 
promise. Self-deceit  is  nothing  less  than  self-^ 
stultification.  We  only  fool  ourselves  and 
soon  find  ourselves  slipping  down  hill.  It  will  be 
hard  climbing  getting  back.  And  what  of  the 
wear  and  tear  on  our  ambitions  meanwhile ! 

Honesty  does  not  grow  naturally  out  of  a 


HONESTY,  THE  CHARACTER  BUILDER  51 


dull,  uninspired  life.  It  goes  with  the  energetic, 
the  forceful.  The  dull  soul  who  is  content  to 
plod  along  year  after  year  in  the  same  rut  may 
be  honest,  and  this  one  redeeming  feature  may 
be  of  such  inestimable  value  to  him  that  it  sweet- 
ens and  softens  his  entire  days.  It  will  bring  him 
friends  . . . true-blue  friends,  who  will  excuse 
all  other  shortcomings  because  of  his  honesty.  It 
gives  him  the  unadulterated  trust  of  his  employer 
and  it  arouses  a certain  admiration  among  his 
narrow  circle  of  acquaintances.  If  this  is  true 
with  the  dullard,  the  weakling,  then  what  must 
it  mean  when  possessed  by  the  great?  We  know, 
for  instance,  how  the  nation  instinctively  turned 
to  General  W ashington  when  it  came  to  choos- 
ing their  President  after  the  Revolutionary  War. 
He  may  have  been  gifted,  he  may  have  been 
one  of  the  world’s  greatest  captains,  but  the  one 
quality  which  endeared  him  to  his  countrymen 
was  a tremendous  moral  superiority.  "He  never 
told  a lie”  rang  around  the  world.  Summed  up, 
his  virtues  amounted  to  those  five  words.  Some 
statesmen  may  have  been  more  astute  but  Wash- 


58 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


ington  was  honest — ‘"he  never  told  a lie”  The 
people  knew  they  could  trust  this  man  so  they 
elected  him  to  fill  the  highest  place  within  their 
gift. 

Honesty  with  ourselves  is  the  first  thing  to 
remember.  Unless  we  are,  it  will  be  impossible 
for  us  to  enter  into  that  spiritual  contentment  en- 
joyed by  those  who  are  honest  with  themselves. 
If  we  are  untrue  to  ourselves  how  can  we  be  true 
to  others?  The  framework  of  a man’s  moral 
being  must  be  that  of  honesty.  It  must  become 
his  very  nature  and  become  automatic  in  its 
processes.  It  belongs  to  the  healthy,  those  who 
keep  themselves  well  through  vigorous  exercise 
and  temperate  living.  It  is  not  a quality  set 
aside  for  the  lucky  few.  Every  man,  woman 
and  child  possesses  it  in  some  degree  and  only  its 
constant  neglect  trims  it  to  a minimum.  It  is  one 
of  those  fundamentals  of  life,  one  of  those  pow- 
erful and  moving  forces  that  rule  society.  We 
are  either  honest  or  we  are  not.  We  cannot  be 
nearly  honest  and  get  away  with  it. 

When  one  stops  to  consider  honesty,  even  for  a 


HONESTY,  THE  CHARACTER  BUILDER  59 


moment,  its  full  importance  is  realized.  For  ex- 
ample, imagine  having  a dishonest  friend.  Could 
we  go  to  him  with  the  secrets  of  our  heart? 
Could  we  trust  him?  Would  we  trust  anyone 
who  might  turn  traitor?  Again:  suppose  we 
were  untrue  to  ourselves,  and  the  fact  became 
known.  Could  we  blame  others  if  they  passed 
us  up  as  a companion?  Never  in  a thousand 
years.  We  must  sleep  in  the  beds  we  prepare 
for  ourselves. 

Men  have  grown  accustomed  through  the  years 
to  certain  standards.  These  are  now  the  moral 
laws  which  control  and  guide  the  destinies  of 
entire  races,  whole  generations.  There  must  have 
been  a good  reason  for  these  laws  or  they  could 
never  have  come  into  being.  Society  does  not 
adopt  many  unnecessary  rules,  but  among  the 
vital  laws  honesty  stands  out  in  hold  relief.  It 
has  become  deeply  imbedded  in  the  minds  of  man- 
kind that  everyone  must  be  true  to  himself.  It 
is  taken  for  granted  that  those  who  are  not  would 
naturally  be  false  to  everybody. 

The  reason  for  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  society 


60 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


will  not  proceed  with  any  course  of  action  with- 
out being  able  to  trust  its  members.  The  general 
in  charge  of  an  army  would  have  a hard  time  of  it 
if  he  were  unable  to  place  faith  in  the  subordinate 
to  whom  he  gave  instructions  that  might  lead  to 
a crisis  in  the  battle.  Society  would  dash  itself 
upon  the  rocks  were  it  not  conscious  that  certain 
people  are  courageously  honest,  and  in  these  it 
finds  its  leaders. 

To  rise  in  life  means  that  our  fellow  man  be- 
lieves in  us  and  wishes  us  to  do  so.  Without 
his  co-operation  it  would  be  futile  to  arouse  our 
own  ambitions.  We  could  not  hope  to  win  a vic- 
tory all  alone  and  against  the  great  majority  who 
believe  in  certain  standards  and  conditions.  We 
might  fool  ourselves  into  thinking  that  because  of 
some  stroke  of  fortune  we  had  established  an 
immunity  for  ourselves.  But  some  day  our  con- 
sciences would  tell  us  how  feebly  we  had  suc- 
ceeded. 

There  is  only  one  method,  only  one  way  . . . 
rise  through  honesty  and  an  optimistic  belief  in 
self.  And  let  us  not  plume  ourselves  because 


HONESTY,  THE  CHARACTER  BUILDER  61 


of  our  virtue.  Personal  honesty  is  our  due  to 
ourselves  and  our  fellow  man. 

One  of  the  distinctive  elements  in  the  honest 
man’s  make-up  is  that  of  laughter.  The  ones 
who  live  up  to  their  ideals,  do  not  feel  that  life 
is  such  a dark  place,  after  all.  It  may  mean  hard 
work,  little  play  and  often  delayed  rewards  but 
the  fact  that  there  is  a world,  and  that  it  is  filled 
with  other  honest  souls  is  rev/ard  enough  to  give 
us  courage  to  laugh  as  we  go  along.  We  can 
always  afford  to  laugh — when  we're  honest. 

The  man  who  is  innately  honest  has  no  reason 
to  fear  the  snares  of  fortune.  He  knows  that 
he  can  win  the  trust  of  men;  he  knows  that  he 
already  has  it.  He  has  no  dread  of  looking  into 
the  other  fellow’s  eye.  He  knows  where  he  stands 
in  life.  He  has  won  that  which  he  has  through 
struggle,  and  he  does  not  intend  to  lose  it.  He 
does  not  intend  to  fail.  He  cannot  fail--— he  can- 
not lose.  No  matter  how  things  might  go  at 
this  moment  or  that  the  next  will  find  him  on 
the  rising  tide  of  new  opportunities — new 
chances.  His  reputation  travels  before  him  like 


62 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


the  advance  agent.  His  coming  is  heralded  and 
he  is  welcomed  into  any  community. 

It  isn’t  as  though  there  were  only  a few  honest 
men.  This  welcome,  this  “glad  hand,”  is  always 
extended  by  society  to  the  honest  man  as  a token 
of  approval.  The  world’s  work  is  a tremendous 
matter.  There  is  always  room  for  another  worker 
to  handle  some  part  of  it.  And  only  the  true,  the 
sincere,  are  capable  of  doing  this  in  the  proper 
way.  The  leaders  of  society  in  the  broader  sense 
are  those  who  win  the  faith  of  the  average  man. 
We  look  up  to  Lincoln  because  we  know  that  he 
was  the  one  man  in  a million  to  accomplish  the 
greatest  task  ever  set  before  a human  being.  We 
realize  that  he  was  honest — honest  in  the  huge 
sense  so  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of  big 
ideals.  And  we  know  that  in  order  to  win  some 
part  of  that  great  trust  we  must  obey  the  stand- 
ards of  honesty  and  decency  that  lie  below  the 
surface  and  only  need  to  be  called  to  life  and 
action  in  order  to  be  used. 

And  laughter  will  arouse  that  sense  as  quickly 
as  anything  else.  The  man  who  is  capable  of 


A Scene  from  '"The  Americano'’' — Matching  JJS'tsfnr  Gold 


HONESTY,  THE  CHARACTER  BUILDER  63 


laughing  heartily  is  not  apt  to  be  the  one  who 
carries  some  conscience-stricken  thought  around 
•with  him.  It  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to 
detect  an  untrue  laugh.  The  real  laugh  springs 
out  of  the  depths  of  being  and  comes  with  a 
ringing  sense  of  security  and  faith  in  one^s  self. 
It  goes  with  the  workman  in  the  early  morning 
w'hen  he  swings  along  the  road  to  the  factory. 
It  accompanies  the  soldier  into  battle.  It  arouses 
the  clerk  from  lethargy.  It  brightens  the  sick 
room.  It  raises  us  all  to  unexplored  heights,  and 
as  evidence  of  our  state  of  mind  it  can  only  mean 
one  thing — honesty  and  sincerity.  No  character 
can  exist  without  this  outward  exhibition  of  an 
inward  honesty.  The  mere  cultivation  of  laugh- 
ter would  eventually  lead  to  honesty.  The  fact 
that  you  are  laughing,  enjoying  life,  awakens  you 
to  a spirit  of  security  and  a feeling  of  the  joy  of 
living.  Gloomy  men  are  the  ones  whose  tend- 
ency is  toward  crime  and  trouble.  Laughing 
men  are  the  ones  who  stir  the  world  with  new 
desires  and  make  life  worth  living.  Therefore  we 
say — laugh  and  live! 


CHAPTER  VIII 


CLEANLINESS  OF  BODY  AND  MIND 

If  we  interview  many  of  life’s  failures  we  will 
find  that  the  overwhelming  majority  went  down 
because  of  their  neglect  to  get  out  of  an  environ- 
ment that  was  not  stimulating  and  because  their 
ambitions  had  grown  rusty  and  inefficient  to  cope 
with  depressing  circumstances.  The  prisons  and 
other  institutions  are  filled  with  people  who  did 
not  make  any  attempt  to  get  away  from  the  vi- 
cious surroundings  in  which  they  lived.  They 
were  like  tadpoles  that  had  never  grown  to  frogs 
. . . they  just  kept  swimming  around  in  their 
muddy  puddles  and,  not  having  grown  legs  with 
which  they  could  leap  out  onto  the  hanks  and 
away  to  other  climes,  they  continued  to  swim  in 
monotonous  circles  until  they  died.  In  other 
words,  the  failure  is  a man  who  dwells  in  muddy 
atmosphere  all  his  days,  who  is  content  to  remain 

64 


CLEANLINESS  OF  BODY  AND  MIND  65 


a tadpole  and  who  never  attempts  to  take  advan- 
tage of  any  opportunity.  He  becomes  unclean, 
so  to  speak.  And  that  is  what  we  mean  by  this 
chapter  heading  ''Cleanliness  of  Body  and 
Mind”  It  was  not  intended  to  point  out  the 
proper  way  to  keep  our  faces  and  hands  clean, 
or  as  a sermon,  but  rather  to  show  ourselves  that 
the  clean  body  begets  the  clean  mind,  the  two 
together  constituting  compelling  tendencies 
toward  the  clean  spirit.  A move  in  the  direction 
of  these  takes  us  out  of  the  rut  of  life. 

No  matter  what  cause  we  dig  up  with  which 
to  explain  our  success  in  life  we  cannot  neglect 
this  most  important  one — the  careful  selection 
of  our  acquaintances.  And  this  doesn’t  mean 
that  one  must  be  a snob.  Far  from  it.  It  only 
means  that  the  successful  man,  the  man  who 
wishes  to  rise  in  life,  should  not  spend  his  days 
in  the  company  of  illiterate  companions  who  do 
not  possess  ambition  of  heart  or  the  will  to  do 
the  work  of  the  world.  It  means  that  life  is  too 
short  to  hang  around  the  loafing  places  with  the 
driftwood  of  humanity  listening  to  their  stories 


66 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


of  failure  and  drinking  in  with  liquor  some  of 
tlieir  bitterness  against  those  who  have  toiled  and 
won  the  fruits  of  their  toil.  It  means  that  we 
will  not  go  out  of  our  way  to  seek  the  friend- 
ship of  men  and  women  who  are  simply  endeav- 
oring to  gain  happiness  in  life  without  paying 
for  it.  It  means  that  we  will  do  all  in  our  power 
to  win  friends  who  aspire  nobly  and  by  so  doing 
inspire  those  with  whom  they  come  in  contact. 
Such  men  are  naturally  clean  of  mind  and  body. 

We  must  remember  always  to  live  in  a world 
of  clear  thought  that  will  stimulate  our  ambitions. 
Dwelling  in  the  dark  corners  of  life  and  traveling 
with  the  debris  of  humanity  will  not  arouse  us 
to  action  and  give  us  that  swinging  vigor  of  heart 
and  mind  so  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of 
great  things.  While  we  will  ever  lend  the  help- 
ing hand  to  those  who  need  it  we  will  naturally 
associate  with  those  who  have  vim  and  courage. 
We  will  not  be  dragged  down  by  our  associates. 
Until  we  meet  the  right  kind  we  will  hold  aloof, 
and  we  will  not  be  morose  and  gloomy  because 
it  happens  that  at  this  moment  our  acquaintance- 


CLEANLINESS  OF  BODY  AND  MIND  67 


ship  does  not  include  these  successes.  When  we 
have  succeeded  in  doing  something  big  they  will 
come  to  us  and  if  we  think  big  things  we  are 
likely  to  do  them.  It  is  all  a matter  of  the  will 
to  do. 

“Nothing  succeeds  like  success,”  said  some 
very  wise  man  and  if  there  ever  was  a phrase 
that  rang  with  truth  this  does.  It  means  that 
the  thought  of  success,  the  courage  that  cornes 
with  success,  leads  to  more  and  more  success.  It 
means  that  the  thinker  of  these  thoughts  is  liv- 
ing in  a clean,  wholesome  atmosphere  along  with 
those  who  are  determined  and  in  earnest.  It 
means  that  they  have  caught  the  fervor  of  true 
life  ...  a healthy,  contagious  fervor  which  per- 
meates the  blood  swiftly  once  it  gets  a hold,  and 
like  electricity  it  vivifies  and  stirs  the  spirit  with 
renewed  energy  day  after  day,  year  after  year. 
Once  it  wins  us  it  will  stick  with  us.  The  success 
of  those  about  us  will  shake  our  lethargic  limbs 
and  stimulate  us  to  a desire  to  do  as  they  do. 
We  win  be  in  a world  of  clean  thought  and  action 
and  our  lives  will  mirror  their  lives,  our  thoughts 


.68 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


will  be  filled  with  wholesome  things  and  with 
good  health.  We  will  win  in  spite  of  all  ob- 
stacles. 

Cleanliness  is  the  morale  of  the  body  and  the 
mind.  The  man  who  is  careful  of  his  linen  and 
who  does  not  neglect  his  morning  plunge  is  not 
apt  to  be  gloomy  and  morose.  We  notice  him 
in  the  car  or  on  the  s-  reet  in  the  morning.  He 
comes  striding  along,  fresh  and  full  of  the  zest 
of  living.  His  mind  is  clear  and  unclouded. 
His  eyes  are  full  of  that  vigorous  light  of  con- 
scientious desire  to  win  and  do  so  honestly.  He 
has  none  of  the  hypocritical  elements  in  his  na- 
ture strong  enough  to  rule  him.  There  may  be 
and  probably  are  many  weaknesses  in  his  charac- 
ter. His  very  strength  consists  in  his  ability  to 
crush  them  and  make  them  his  slaves. 

The  man  who  has  taken  his  morning  plunge 
and  dressed  himself  agreeable  to  comfort  and 
grace,  has  his  battles  of  the  day  won  in  advance. 
He  knows  the  value  of  keeping  himself  in  trim. 
He  does  it  for  the  sake  of  his  own  feelings.  Our 
approval  of  his  appearance  goes  without  saying. 


CLEANLINESS  OF  BODY  AND  MIND  69 


If  a man  thinks  well  of  himself  in  matters  of  ap- 
pearance his  general  deportment  is  likely  to  coin- 
cide. Such  men  never  overdo.  They  are  at  ease 
with  themselves  and  thus  impart  ease  to  others 
who  come  in  contact  with  them.  They  have,  in 
other  words,  a distinction  of  their  own  and  their 
distinction  is  their  power.  They  know  that  the 
highest  moral  law  of  nature  is  that  of  cleanliness, 
that  filthiness  should  not  he  allowed  to  dominate 
any  man’s  ethics  or  physical  condition.  They 
rule  such  things  out  of  their  lives. 

A vast  magnetic  force  comes  out  of  those 
friends  of  ours  who  are  doing  things  and  making 
the  world  sit  up  and  take  notice.  The  mere  fact 
that  we  live  near  to  them,  know  them  and  asso- 
ciate with  them  is  proof-positive  that  we,  too, 
shall  go  through  life  with  clean  minds  and  bodies. 
They  would  not  tolerate  us  if  we  were  to  slip 
into  shoddy  ways.  Nothing  is  revealed  quicker 
to  our  intimates  than  the  losing  of  ambition  . . . 
the  slipping  into  careless  habits.  We  cannot  con- 
ceal it  from  them.  We  fool  only  those  who  brush 
by.  The  loss  of  this  self-respect  has  a terrible 


70 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


effect  upon  the  system  and  every  tendency 
toward  success  is  thereby  stunted  and  weakened. 
We  have  fallen  into  unclean  ways!  It  will  not 
be  long  before  we  sink  to  the  bottom  or  else 
remain  among  the  vast  crowd  who  have  neither 
the  courage  to  fall  nor  the  courage  to  rise. 

Nothing  produces  failure  quicker  than  filthi- 
ness of  mind  and  body.  Those  who  are  success- 
ful keep  away  from  the  very  thought  of  such  a 
condition.  They  live  as  much  as  possible  in  the 
open.  They  take  morning  and  evening  exercises. 
They  read  good  books,  attend  good  plays  and 
are  continually  in  touch  with  the  finer  develop- 
ments of  thought  and  art  in  the  world.  Their 
faces  are  open  and  full  of  sunlight.  They  are 
determined  that  life  will  not  beat  them  in  a game 
that  only  requires  sureness  of  aim  and  the  ability 
to  take  advantage  of  the  thousand  and  one  oppor- 
tunities that  surround  them  on  every  side. 

Cleanliness  stands  paramount  in  its  importance 
to  success.  Perhaps  no  other  one  thing  has  so 
vital  a hold  upon  the  individual  who  succeeds. 
The  general  of  an  army  first  looks  to  the  morale 


Triangle-Fine-Arts 


Taking  on  Local  Color 


CLEANLINESS  OF  BODY  AND  MIND  71 


of  his  troops.  He  knows  that  with  clean  minds 
and  bodies  his  soldiers  are  capable  of  doing  big 
things.  The  battleship,  that  efficient  and  highly- 
developed  instrument  of  war,  is  so  immaculate 
that  one  could  eat  his  meals  on  its  very  decks. 
Its  officers  are  wholesome,  athletic  fellows;  its 
crew  consists  of  hardy  men  who  live  sanely  and 
vigorously  and  who  have  plenty  to  occupy  their 
minds.  And  if  cleanliness  is  fundamental  in 
their  case  why  not  in  our  own? 

When  we  come  to  analyze  ourselves  we  find 
that  we  are  like  a great  institution  of  some  kind. 
Here  is  the  brain,  the  heart,  the  lungs,  the  stom- 
ach, the  nerves  and  the  muscles.  Each  depart- 
ment acts  separately  and  yet  is  connected  abso- 
lutely with  all  the  others.  The  entire  system  is 
under  one  supreme  department  . . . the  mind. 
Now  if  this  ruling  department  is  kept  clean  and 
full  of  kindly,  beautiful  thoughts  does  it  not 
seem  natural  that  the  rest  will  follow  its  lead 
being  so  completely  in  its  power?  We  realize  this 
and  the  mere  realization  is  something  done 


72 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


towards  the  accomplishment  of  an  ideal  life  in  a 
world  of  cleanliness  and  beauty. 

System  is  one  of  the  finest  tools  in  existence 
with  which  to  build  one’s  life  into  something 
worth  while.  The  body  must  be  run  on  a system 
as  well  as  the  mind.  The  stomach  must  not  be 
overloaded  with  unnecessary  food.  The  lungs 
must  not  be  filled  with  impure  air.  The  nerves 
must  not  be  worn  threadbare  in  riotous  and  ri- 
diculous living.  The  muscles  must  be  kept  in 
trim  with  consistent  exercise  of  the  proper  sort. 
We  must  recognize  the  wants,  the  needs  of  the 
physical  system  and  see  that  they  are  supplied. 

Roosevelt,  perhaps  more  than  any  other  living 
man  today,  has  given  vitality  to  the  supreme 
necessity  of  cleanliness  of  mind  and  body.  He 
has,  by  reason  of  his  great  prominence,  been  able 
to  emphasize  these  two  vital  essentials.  He  called 
a spade  a spade  and  his  message  went  far.  From 
those  who  knew  the  value  of  his  words  came 
nods  of  approval — others  took  heed.  From  boy- 
hood he  has  systematized  his  life,  taking  the  exer- 
cise needed,  filling  his  mind  with  the  learning  of 


CLEANLINESS  OF  BODY  AND  MIND 


73 


the  world,  winning  when  others  would  have 
failed,  profiting  by  experience  allotted  to  him 
through  fate’s  kindly  offices  and  association  with 
the  healthy,  true  men.  What  has  been  the  result? 
He  has  risen  to  the  very  pinnacle  of  human  en- 
deavor ...  no  honors  await  hhn.  He  has  lived 
consistently  and  cleanly  and  he  can  look  any 
man  in  the  eye  and  say  honestly;  “I  have  lived 
as  I have  believed.” 

It  is  not  necessary  to  become  President  in  order 
to  live  sanely,  to  gain  from  circumstances  the 
fruits  that  are  ours  for  the  asking  and  which  have 
fallen  into  Roosevelt’s  hands  with  such  profu- 
sion. We  cannot  all  become  Presidents  but  we 
can  all  emidate  a shining  example  of  mental  and 
bodily  morale. 

Just  as  we  plunge  into  the  cold  water  in  the 
early  morning  so  should  we  regularly  during  the 
day  plunge  into  the  society  of  those  whose  splen- 
did enthusiasm  is  helping  to  make  the  world  a 
better  place  to  live  in.  They  are  the  kind  who 
go  into  the  struggle  with  heads  high  and  with 
clean  hearts.  Their  eyes  see  beyond  the  daily  toil 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


^ A 

of  life.  Tkey  are  in  touch  with  the  big  things  and 
it  is  up  to  us  to  keep  step  with  them.  They  want 
us  and  they  will  give  us  the  “glad  hand.”  All 
they  want  to  know  is  whether  our  courage  is 
equal  to  our  ambitions  and  whether  our  house 
of  life  is  kept  in  good  order.  And  so  we  journey 
along  together  in  all  good  nature,  not  forgetting 
to  laugh  as  we  live. 


CHAPTER  IX 

CONSIDEKATION  FOR  OTHEES 

Consideration  for  others  is  man’s  noblest  atti- 
tude toward  his  fellow  man.  For  every  seed  of 
human  kindness  he  plants,  a flower  blooms  in  the 
garden  of  his  own  heart.  In  him  who  gives  in 
such  a way  there  is  no  hypocritical  feeling  of 
charity  bestowed.  His  very  act  disarms  the 
thought.  It  is  as  natural  for  an  honorable  man 
to  show  consideration  to  others  as  it  is  for  him 
to  eat  and  sleep.  Acts  of  kindness  are  the  out- 
ward  manifestations  of  gentle  hreeding~a  refine- 
ment of  character  in  the  highest  sense  of  the 
word. 

What  would  we  do  in  this  world  without  the 
helping  hand,  the  friendly  word  of  cheer,  the 
thought  that  others  shared  our  losses  and  cheered 
our  victories?  If  consideration  for  our  feelings 

75 


76 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


and  thoughts  did  not  exist  on  this  earth  we  would 
never  know  the  depths  of  the  love  of  our 
friends.  There  would  be  no  such  thing  as  an 
earthly  reward  of  merit.  We  know  that  no 
matter  what  happens  to  us  in  the  battle  of  life 
there  will  be  someone  to  cheer  us  on  our  way. 
We  may  be  strong  and  thoroughly  able  to  rely 
upon  ourselves  but  there  comes  a time  when  we 
need  friendship  and  sympathy.  Society  would 
crumble  into  dust  without  these  influences.  The 
family  circle  would  degenerate  into  a hollow 
mockery  if  consideration  each  for  the  other  was 
absent.  It  sweetens  and  makes  wholesome  what 
otherwise  might  only  be  an  existence  of  monot- 
onous toil. 

Consideration  for  others  is  the  milk  of  human 
kindness.  F or  what  we  do  for  others  our  recom- 
pense is  in  the  act  itself  ...  we  should  claim  no 
other  reward.  Observation  brings  to  view  that 
they  who  give  in  real  charity  cloak  their  acts  from 
the  eyes  of  all  save  the  recipient.  Givers  of  this 
type  rise  to  the  supreme  heights  of  greatness.  It 
is  a part  of  their  wisdom  to  know  what  is  best 


CONSIDERATION  FOR  OTHERS 


7T 


to  be  done  and  they  go  about  it  as  a pleasure 
as  well  as  a duty. 

Consideration  for  others  pays  big  dividends. 
It  is  a virtue  that  makes  for  strong  friendships 
and  true  affections.  Those  who  possess  it  have 
a hard  time  hiding  their  light  under  a bushel.  In 
teaching  fortitude  to  others  they  partake  of  the 
same  knowledge.  In  the  hours  of  their  own 
affliction  they  retain  their  courage  and  keep  their 
minds  unsoured.  They  are  the  sure-enough 
''good  fellows'^  of  life  and  their  presence  is  the 
signal  for  instantaneous  good  cheer.  We  all 
know  them  by  their  gentle  knock  at  the  door. 
In  a thousand  ways  they  impress  themselves  upon 
our  lives,  have  entered  into  our  councils,  have 
given  us  the  right  advice  at  the  right  time — and 
when  the  sad  day  comes  along  their  strong  shoul- 
ders are  there  for  us  to  lean  upon. 

Consideration  for  others  is  apt  to  be  an  inherent 
quality,  but  like  everything  else  it  can  be  accentu- 
ated or  modified  according  to  our  own  determina- 
tion. It  is  a growth  that  should  be  inculcated 
early  in  the  lives  of  children — the  earlier  the  bet- 


78 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


ter.  A child’s  most  impressionable  age  is  said 
to  be  between  its  fourth  and  fifth  years.  Then 
is  the  time  to  teach  it  the  little  niceties  of  life — 
the  closing  of  a door  softly — tip-toeing  quietly 
that  mother  may  not  be  awakened  from  her 
nap — tidiness — cleanliness — good  morals — all  of 
which  are  to  become  vital  factors  in  a life  of  con- 
sideration for  others. 

A great  many  of  us  have  the  desire  to  be  of 
service  to  others  but  timidity  holds  us  back.  Say, 
for  instance,  one  might  see  a person  in  great  dis- 
tress and  because  of  diffidence  withhold  the  prof- 
fered hand — someone  we’ve  known  who  comes  to 
the  point  of  penury  but  has  too  much  pride  to 
ask  assistance — we  pass  by  fearful  that  we  might 
offend.  How  many  times  has  this  happened  to 
us?  Who  knows  but  the  best  friend  we  have 
at  this  very  moment  would  give  anything  in  the 
world  if  his  pride  would  let  him  bridge  that  dis- 
tance between  us. 

Nevertheless  the  desire  to  do  the  right  thing 
was  in  itself  helpful.  The  thought  of  doing 
something  for  someone  was  a correct  impulse  and 


.1  Scene  from  ''His  Picture  in  the  Papers 


t 


I 


CONSIDERATION  FOR  OTHERS 


79 


should  have  been  carried  into  action.  Early  in 
life  we  should  have  started  our  foundation  for 
doing  things  in  the  cause  of  others.  Putting  off 
the  time  when  we  shall  begin  to  obey  our  higher 
impulses  toward  helpfulness  to  our  fellows  is  but 
a reaction  in  our  own  characters  which  dulls  de- 
termination. We  want  to  do  but  we  don’t.  As 
time  goes  on  we  just  dont — that’s  all.  Our  good 
intentions  have  gone  to  pave  the  bottomless  pits 
containing  our  unfulfilled  heart  promptings.  We 
meant  well — hiLt  we  failed  to  act — we  didn’t  have 
the  courage.  Our  failures  spread  a gloom  before 
us.  We  lost  our  chances  for  a happy  life! 

The  man  with  the  ability  to  laugh  has  little 
diffidence  about  these  matters.  Having  confi- 
dence in  himself  and  being  happy  and  alert  he 
goes  to  the  friend  in  need  with  courage  and  the 
kind  of  help  that  helps.  If  he  doesn’t  do  it  di- 
rectly he  finds  a way  to  reach  him  through  mutual 
friends.  He  does  not  go  about  parading  his 
kindness,  either.  He  has  gained  a sincere  and 
beautiful  pleasure  out  of  aiding  an  old  friend  and 
he  can  go  on  his  way  rejoicing  that  life  is  worth 


80 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


living  when  he  has  lived  up  to  its  higher  ideals. 

Consideration  for  others  does  not  necessarily 
involve  only  the  big  things.  It  is  the  sum  and 
total  of  numberless  acts  and  thoughts  that  make 
for  friendships  and  kindliness.  People  who  are 
thoughtful  surely  brighten  the  world.  They  are 
ever  ready  to  do  some  little  thing  at  the  correct 
moment  and  after  a time  we  begin  to  realize  how 
much  their  presence  means  to  us.  We  may  not 
notice  them  the  first  time,  or  the  third,  or  the 
fifth,  but  after  a while  we  become  conscious  of 
their  persistence  and  we  esteem  them  accordingly. 
Such  men  are  the  products  of  clean,  straightfor- 
ward lives.  They  are  never  too  busy  to  exchange 
a pleasant  word.  They  do  not  flame  into  anger 
on  a pretext.  Their  code  of  existence  is  well 
ordered  and  filled  to  the  brim  with  lots  to  do  and 
lots  to  think  about.  The  old  saying:  "J/  you 

want  anything  go  to  a busy  man/^  applies  to  them 
in  this  regard.  The  busier  men  are  the  more  time 
they  seem  to  have  for  kindliness. 

Another  word  for  consideration  is  service. 
Nothing  brings  a greater  self-reward  than  a serv- 


CONSIDERATION  FOR  OTHERS 


81 


ice  done  in  an  hour  of  need,  or  a favor  granted 
during  a day’s  grind.  The  generous  man  who 
climbs  to  the  top  of  the  ladder  helps  manj^  others 
on  their  way.  The  more  he  does  for  someone 
else  the  more  he  does  for  himself.  The  stronger 
he  becomes — the  greater  his  influence  in  his  com- 
munity. Doing  things  for  others  may  not  bring 
in  bankable  dividends  but  it  does  bring  in  hap- 
piness. Such  actions  scorn  a higher  reward.  We 
have  only  to  try  out  the  plan  to  learn  the  truth 
for  ourselves.  A good  place  to  begin  is  at  home. 
Then,  the  office,  or  wherever  life  leads  us.  And 
in  doing  these  things  we  will  laugh  as  we  go 
along — we  will  laugh  and  get  the  most  out  of 
living. 

Our  little  day-by-day  kindnesses  when  added 
together  constitute  in  time  a huge  asset  on  the 
right  side  of  our  ledger  of  life.  We  should  start 
the  day  with  something  that  helps  another  get 
through  his  day  . . . even  if  it  isn’t  any  more 
than  a smile  and  a wave  of  the  hand.”  And  he 
will  remember  us  for  it. 

It  is  said  that  advice  is  cheap  and  for  that 


82 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


reason  is  given  freely.  But  the  proper  kind  of 
advice  is  about  as  rare  as  the  proverbial  hen’s 
tooth.  In  order  to  give  real  advice  we  must  un- 
derstand the  man  who  asks  for  it.  If  what  we 
say  to  him  is  to  become  of  value  we  must  see  to 
it  that  his  mind  is  put  in  proper  shape  to  receive 
advice.  Be  sure  that  he  laughs,  or  smiles  at  least, 
before  we  seriously  take  up  his  case.  And  when 
we  have  done  our  stunt  in  the  way  of  advice  let’s 
send  him  away  with  a fine  good  humor.  A 
friendly  pat  on  the  back  as  he  goes  out  our  door- 
way may  mean  a bracer  to  his  determination. 
“Youll  put  it  over"'  we  shout  after  him — and 
thus  we  have  been  of  real  help.  He  needed  sym- 
pathy and  courage.  He  needed  a cheerful  spirit 
— so  came  to  us  and  we  didn’t  let  him  go  away 
until  we  gave  him  all  these.  Bully  for  us! 

Consideration  for  others  does  not  admit  of  os- 
tentation and  hypocrisy.  We  never  allow  our 
left  hand  to  know  what  our  right  hand  does  in 
charity,  nor  do  we  boast  of  our  helpful  attitude 
toward  our  fellow  men.  It  is  well  to  make  a 
point  of  this  fact — ^in  this  world  are  many  ne'er- 


CONSIDERATION  FOR  OTHERS 


83 


do-'wells”  who  fail  to  profit  by  advice  and  thereby 
become  professional  in  the  seeking  of  favors. 
Consideration  owes  them  nothing  and  to  with- 
stand their  persistent  appeals  would  in  time  dull 
our  natural  tendencies  toward  helping  others. 

The  world  helps  those  who  help  themselves. 
We  have  little  admiration  for  the  man  who  is 
forever  whining.  Society  has  no  work  for  such 
people  as  these.  When  we  have  exhausted  every 
means  of  helping  such  a man  we  must  in  self- 
defense  pass  him  up  before  he  contaminates  our 
sense  of  justice.  We  in  iist  keep  our  visions  clear. 

Consideration  for  others  is  a prime  refinement 
of  character.  To  be  able  to  use  it  in  our  daily 
lives  becomes  one  of  our  greatest  consolations. 
Sympathy  begets  affection  and  kindly  deeds— in 
a relative  sense  it  binds  together  the  properties 
which  go  to  make  the  soul  within  us.  Brow- 
beating, scolding,  irascibility  and  the  like  are 
microbes  whieh  react  against  the  milk  of  human 
kindness,  to  which,  if  we  suceumb,  leaves  us 
stranded  and  alone  amid  a world  of  friendliness 
and  good  fellowship. 


CHAPTER  X 


KEEPING  OURSELVES  DEMOCRATIC 

Big  words  and  pomposity  never  were  designed 
for  the  highest  types  of  men.  Our  great  national 
figures  have  almost  without  exception  had  one 
quality  which  was  a keynote  to  their  ultimate 
success — this  was  their  simplicity.  Next  was 
their  accessibility.  There  are  numberless  big- 
hearted  and  big-brained  individuals  in  the  world 
whose  duties  are  so  manifold  that  in  order  to 
accomplish  what  has  been  placed  in  their  hands 
they  must  be  saved  from  interruption,  but  the 
truly  great  individual  is  never  hidden  away  en- 
tirely from  his  fellow  man.  He  never  becomes 
such  a slave  to  detail  that  he  does  not  find  time 
to  fraternize  with  ordinary  mortals.  We  do  not 
find  him  concealed  behind  impenetrable  barriers, 
guarded  and  pampered  by  courtiers  like  unto  a 
king  on  his  throne — or  tucked  away  in  some  dark 


84 


KEEPING  OURSELVES  DEMOCRATIC  85 


office.  He  wants  to  know  everybody  'worth  ‘while 
and  everybody  worth  while  is  welcomed  by  him. 
He  doesn’t  affect  to  know  so  much  that  he  can- 
not be  told  something  new.  He  is  not  the  sort 
to  refuse  to  see  us  at  any  reasonable  time. 

We  should  not  confound  greatness,  however, 
with  notoriety.  A man  who  by  virtue  of  large 
publicity  has  compelled  public  notice  isn’t  neces- 
sarily a great  man  no  matter  how  hard  he  may 
strive  to  make  himself  appear  so.  Especially  is 
this  true  of  the  man  who  does  not  make  a personal 
success  corresponding  to  his  advertised  fame. 
In  time  he  may  have  the  “ear-marks”  of  notabil- 
ity but,  as  Lincoln  said:  “You  can't  fool  all  of 
the  people  all  of  the  time.” 

It  is  to  be  noted  with  satisfaction  that  the  big 
captains  of  industry  keep  themselves  free  from 
petty  details.  “I  surrounded  myself  with  clever 
men,”  said  Andrew  Carnegie  in  accounting  for 
his  success  and  by  the  same  token  the  men  who 
took  over  his  great  affairs  and  gave  them  larger 
scope  and  power  surrounded  themselves  with  still 
other  clever  men,  thus  reserving  their  judgment 


86 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


and  thought  for  the  higher  policies  of  their  insti- 
tutions. They  keep  themselves  in  readiness  for 
consultation,  and  having  men  of  initiative  and 
self-reliance  underneath  them,  they  find  time  to 
take  in  hand  other  affairs  than  those  of  the  tre- 
mendous businesses  they  manage.  Men  of  this 
type  often  become  prominent  in  public  affairs 
and  develop  into  highly  important  citizens. 

The  bigger  the  man,  the  less  he  encumbers 
himself  with  matters  which  can  be  delegated  to 
others.  His  desk  is  clear  of  all  litter  and 
minutia — likewise  his  mind.  Such  men  keep 
their  physiques  and  mentalities  in  fine  working 
order  and  are  not  to  be  goaded  into  ill  temper. 
A refinement  of  mind  is  supremely  essential  to 
the  man  who  desires  to  climb  to  the  very  top  of 
tlie  ladder.  He  cannot  afford  to  close  his  brain 
to  outside  information.  He  is  forced  to  keep  it 
open  in  order  to  let  in  continuous  currents  of 
new  thought.  He  doesn’t  want  his  visage  to 
"‘cream  and  mantle  as  a standing  pond’^  as 
Shakespeare  aptly  puts  it — ^therefore  the  windows 
of  his  thinking  department  are  kept  open  for 


Trian  gle-  Fhie-Ar  ts 

Douglas  Fairbanks  in  “The  Good  Bad-Maii’ 


KEEPING  OURSELVES  DEMOCRATIC  87 


refreshing  draughts  from  the  outside.  He  rea- 
sons that  alM'ays  there  are  new  guests,  new  faces, 
new  things  to  talk  about  at  the  banquet  board  of 
life. 

And  here  is  the  point — if  men  who  carry  on  the 
great  industries  of  the  world  find  a way  to  keep 
;hemselves  democratic  surely  men  of  less  impor- 
tance should  be  able  to  do  the  same?  The  snob 
is  about  as  offensive  a person  as  could  be  de- 
scribed. He  is  usually  a hypocrite  or  an  igno- 
ramus— sometimes  both.  His  pomposity  is  nat- 
urally repellent.  We  easily  become  accustomed 
to  dodging  such  characters.  The  detriment  is 
theirs — not  ours.  They  are  left  by  the  wayside 
and  sooner  or  later  wake  up  to  the  fact  that  they 
stand  alone  in  the  world. 

The  world  loves  the  man  with  an  open  mind. 
This  is  the  usual  spirit  of  the  progressive  citizen. 
He  wants  to  know — and  by  reason  of  his  acces- 
sibility knowledge  is  brought  to  him.  No  one 
cares  to  take  up  the  task  of  informing  the  ego- 
tist who  already  knows  it  all.  Such  is  his  inherent 
cussedness  that  we  would  rather  let  him  warp  in 


88 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


the  oven  of  his  own  half-baked  knowledge.  Life 
is  too  short  to  waste  our  time  in  educating  him. 

“How  can  I see  Mr.  So-and-so?”  says  one  man 
to  another. 

“Don’t  try,”  is  the  answer.  “He’s  not  worth 
seeing.  You  can’t  tell  him  anything.” 

And  this  sort  of  a chap  misses  the  big  oppor- 
tunities just  because  he  chooses  to  build  up  a 
reputation  for  being  exclusive.  He  digs  himself 
a hole  and  crawls  into  it  and  pulls  the  hole  in  after 
him.  We  can  safely  imagine  him  treating  the 
members  of  his  family  as  though  they  were  serv- 
ants, and  his  employees  as  though  they  were 
slaves.  He  may  succeed  in  small  things  but  in 
the  big  game  of  life  we  may  write  him  down  as 
a failure. 

If  we  have  a big  idea  we  take  it  to  a big  man 
— the  man  of  vision.  Anything  less  is  to  putter 
around  aimlessly.  The  bigger  he  is,  the  more 
democratic.  He  will  not  look  for  imperfections 
in  our  personal  make-up  when  we  show  him  the 
new  process  we  have  discovered. 

To  be  democratic  is  a triumph  of  the  soul — 


KEEPING  OURSELVES  DEMOCRATIC  89 


tending  to  bring  us  in  close  touch  with  the  throb- 
bing heart  of  humanity.  There  is  no  isolation  for 
those  of  unaffected  charm  and  manner — no  bar- 
rier in  the  way  of  friendship  worth  having.  It 
is  our  lack  of  judgment  if  we  hide  ourselves  so 
that  we  cannot  be  approached.  No  matter  how 
high  we  rise,  for  the  sake  of  our  own  brains  we 
must  allow  men  of  ideas  to  get  to  us.  We  must 
not  allow  our  minds  to  become  stagnant.  If  we 
fail  to  get  into  daily  contact  with  other  people, 
we  soon  grow  dull  and  uninteresting  even  to  our- 
selves. Great  men  may  have  no  time  to  fritter 
away  but  they  have  plenty  of  leisure  for  men 
worth  while — the  pushers  and  the  thinkers. 

A democratic  spirit  does  not  come  to  the  selfish 
man.  He  is  absorbed  in  himself  and  is  quite  a 
hopeless  case.  He  is  a natural  born  faultfinder 
and  grouchy  by  nature.  For  him  life  holds  no 
joy  save  the  one  in  sight.  Taking  the  big  look 
at  the  man  of  this  type  we  can  only  be  sorry  for 
him  because  of  his  lack  of  early  training.  He 
started  off  on  the  wrong  foot  and  thereafter 
drifted  along.  Seldom  do  we  overcome  the  habits 


90 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


with  which  we  arrive  at  man’s  estate.  Those  wh© 
do  are  entitled  to  a right  hand  seat  among  the 
chosen. 

Being  democratic  is  another  phrase  for  being 
hu7iian  and  kind.  It  means  that  we  ought  to  be 
able  to  see  behind  eveiy  face  and  find  the  truth  of 
that  individual’s  existence.  It  means  that  life 
is  largely  a matter  of  how  we  look  at  it  and  being 
human  is  one  way  to  get  the  proper  slant  at 
things. 

The  human  mind  has  great  adaptive  power  and 
can  be  molded  into  a thousand  ways  of  thinking. 
The  intelligent  man,  the  man  who  has  taken  stock 
of  himself,  is  able  to  smile  and  extend  a hearty 
handclasp  whether  he  feels  tip-top  or  not.  He 
doesn’t  have  to  look  glum  simply  because  the 
world  hasn’t  thrown  itself  at  his  feet.  He  has 
only  to  persevere  and  success  will  come  event- 
ually. 

We  must  correct  our  failings  as  we  go  along 
or  we  will  slip  dowm  into  the  rut  and  stay  there. 
It  is  a simple  matter  to  be  good  natured  and  full 
of  the  zest  of  life  if  w^e  poise  ourselves  right — 


KEEPING  OURSELVES  DEMOCRATIC  91 


keep  ourselves  democratic.  It  is  this  great  soul 
quality  which  brings  us  true  friends  and  boosts 
us  into  the  fulfillment  of  our  ambitions.  Then 
we  may  truly  laugh  and  live. 


CHAPTER  XI 


SELF-EDUCATION  BY  GOOD  READING 

The  character  of  a man  expresses  itself  by  the 
books  he  reads.  Every  well-informed  man  since 
the  invention  of  printing  has  been  a close  reader 
of  a few  books  that  stand  out  from  among  the 
many.  We  read  of  Lincoln  devouring  the  few 
books  he  had,  over  and  over  again  and  studying 
from  cover  to  cover  and  word  for  word  the  Web- 
ster’s dictionary  of  his  day.  We  know  that  Grant 
had  his  favorite  volumes  from  which  he  drew 
inspiration  and  solace.  These  men  made  eternal 
friends  of  certain  great  thinkers  and  drank  in 
their  learning  with  all  the  fervor  of  their  natures. 

“A  few  good  books,  digested  well,  do  feed 
The  mind.” 

“Feed  the  mind!”  That’s  the  idea — hut  how 
shall  we  feed  it?  The  answer  is  easy — with  some- 

92 


SELF-EDUCATION  BY  GOOD  READING  93 


thing  >worth  while — something  that  will  inform 
and  inspire.  We  can  cram  our  minds  to  the  point 
of  indigestion  with  useless,  frivolous  information 
just  as  easily  as  we  may  cram  our  stomachs  with 
certain  foods  that  tear  down  rather  than  build 
up.  The  habit  of  reading  the  right  sort  of  books 
should  begin  early  in  life  and  continue  through- 
out our  days. 

Good  books  are  real  . . . and  as  we  read  we 
feel,  hear,  see  and  understand  in  the  way  the 
author  (^id.  If  what  is  said  appeals  to  our  way 
of  thinking  a new  world  is  unfolded  to  our  vision 
filled  to  the  brim  with  things  we  can  think  about 
and  add  to  our  stock  of  knowledge.  While  we 
are  buried  in  its  leaves  w’e  may  live  over  the 
thoughts  that  the  writer  lived.  For  the  time  be- 
ing he  becomes  as  real  and  vital  to  us  as  the  dear- 
est friend  we  possess.  Gradually,  as  the  time 
passes  by,  he  creeps  into  our  affections  until  our 
lives  would  not  be  complete  without  the  com- 
radeship of  his  cherished  book. 

Books  that  become  our  “pals”  are  not  neces- 
sarily books  of  the  so-called  classical  type.  Lit- 


94 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


tie  known  volumes  may  prove  to  have  enough 
thought  stored  away  between  their  covers  to  keep 
us  interested  all  our  days.  The  great  books  will 
prove  their  worth  in  a short  time  no  matter  how 
poor  the  binding,  how  bad  the  type  or  how  cheap 
the  paper.  These  things  are  after  all  only  the 
outward  manifestations  and  though  we  like  to 
see  our  friends  dressed  well  yet  we  know  that  the 
clothes  do  not  make  character  unless  there  is 
character  there  in  the  first  place.  And  so  it  is 
with  books.  These  little  ungainly  volumes  which 
we  purchase  on  the  stands  may  be  the  classics  of 
tomorrow  . . . who  knows? 

We  select  our  library  carefully.  No  matter  if 
we  live  in  a tiny  hall  bedroom  on  the  top  floor  of 
a boarding  house  we  have  a shelf  somewhere  with 
a few  good  books  on  it.  Emerson’s  “Essays”  can 
be  had  in  one  volume  and  are  well  worth  having. 
No  other  American  writer  has  been  so  inspiring, 
so  invigorating  as  this  thinker  of  Concord.  One 
cannot  read  his  essays  without  having  a desire 
to  get  up  and  do.  It  is  like  a breath  of  fresh 
air  ...  a tonic  ...  a stiff  morning  walk.  It 


Triangle-Fine- Arts 

Squaring  Things  With  Sister — From  '‘The  Habit  of 
Happiness" 


SELF-EDUCATION  BY  GOOD  READING  95 


stirs  the  mind  to  action  and  inspires  us  to  lift 
ourselves  out  of  the  rut  into  which  we  have 
fallen.  One  returns  to  them  time  after  time, 
each  reading  opening  up  new  vistas  of  thought, 
new  lines  of  mental  development. 

As  a manfs  stomach  is  what  he  eats,  a man^s 
mind  is  what  he  reads.  It  goes  without  saying 
that  no  healthy,  active  mind  could  exist  without 
the  companionship  of  Shakespeare,  Nowadays 
it  is  possible  to  secure  the  entire  works  of  the 
immortal  poet  in  one  volume.  There  is  a special 
Oxford  University  edition  which  can  be  had  for 
a small  sum.  The  type  is  large,  the  paper  good 
and  there  are  many  notes  to  help  one  over  the 
rocky  places.  There  is  no  doubt  of  the  truth  of 
the  saying  that  a man  who  reads  Shakespeare  con- 
sistently and  with  understanding  needs  no  other 
education.  Like  the  philosopher  Emerson  he 
boiled  down  the  world’s  thoughts  into  terse  sen- 
tences and  one  ffoes  into  a new  universe  when 
reading  any  of  the  plays.  It  is  a good  thing  to 
learn  parts  of  them  by  heart  so  that  we  can 
apply  them  to  our  own  lives.  They  strengthen 


96 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


the  mind  . . . their  heauty  lifts  us  into  a great 
realism  of  splendid  thought  . . . and  they  fill 
the  heart  with  a longing  to  do  something  great. 
Such  books  should  become  steady  companions 
through  life.  No  matter  where  our  duties  call 
us  we  should  see  to  it  that  we  do  not  leave  be- 
hind the  thoughts  of  this  master  mind  of  Shake- 
speare. The  very  fact  that  we  have  them  near  us 
lifts  us  out  of  the  monotony  of  nothing  to  do. 

Among  the  books  about  America  for  Ameri- 
cans perhaps  Roosevelt’s  “Winning  of  the  West” 
is  among  the  best.  Not  only  has  he  thrown  the 
whole  vigor  of  his  interesting  personality  into 
the  writing  of  it,  but  he  has  given  us  a vivid  pic- 
ture of  the  conquest  of  the  States  by  the  set- 
tlers. No  man  could  read  it  without  being 
thrilled  at  the  dangers  our  forefathers  faced  . . . 
at  the  great  courage  they  possessed  ...  at  their 
hardihood  . . . their  bulldog  tenacity.  The 
reading  of  such  a book  is  like  going  back  over 
the  years  and  living  with  them,  sharing  their 
troubles  and  their  enthusiasms.  The  man  who 
contemplates  gathering  a small  library  could  not 


SELF-EDUCATION  BY  GOOD  READING  97 


afford  to  do  without  the  inspiration  of  what  his 
countrymen  have  done  for  him. 

In  choosing  our  books  we  must  bear  in  mind 
one  thing — let  them  he  inspiring.  Let  them  he 
of  such  a nature  that  when  we  read  them  we 
will  feel  like  going  out  into  the  world  to  accom- 
plish something  big! 

That  is  probably  the  mission  of  great  books — 
to  inspire  and  uplift.  The  world’s  greatest  men 
have  been  readers — would  they  have  cared  for 
books  unless  they  were  inspiring?  It  is  said  that 
when  Napoleon  was  being  taken  to  St.  Helena 
he  advised  one  of  the  officers  never  to  stop 
reading. 

Most  of  the  things  worth  while  are  at  some 
time  or  other  stored  away  in  books  by  the  think- 
ers. Every  phase  of  history,  every  movement  to 
better  mankind  and  lift  it  above  the  drudgery 
of  mere  toil,  every  beautiful  thought  is  to  be 
found  in  them  and  the  better  the  book  the  more 
will  be  found  in  it  of  these  very  things.  When 
we  have  finished  the  day’s  work  we  can  pull  down 
a volume  from  the  shelf  and  in  a moment  be  lost 


98 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


in  an  entirely  different  world.  The  man  who 
neglects  to  read  surely  misses  the  one  best  means 
of  broadening  his  mind. 

All  books  of  the  better  class  furnish  food  for 
thought  and  are  excellent  tools  for  the  man  of 
initiative.  To  read  means  keeping  in  touch  with 
the  big  visions.  We  cherish  these  dreams  and 
make  them  real  in  plans  of  our  own.  Aspiration 
is  behind  the  pages  of  every  worth-while  volume. 
It  was  the  motive  power  which  drove  the  author 
to  produce  it  and  it  should  become  a part  of  the 
forces  which  drive  us  on  to  victory.  Without 
such  inspiration  we  grope  as  children  in  the  dark. 
We  are  without  a light  to  guide  us  on  our  way. 

Books  by  such  men  as  Marden  and  Hubbard 
are  great  generators  of  the  electricity  of  doing 
things.  They  have  put  into  words  those  imier- 
most  emotions  which  are  the  instruments  of  suc- 
cess. They  pomt  out  a way  we  may  safely  fol- 
low. They  loan  us  inspiration  which  causes  us 
to  act  for  ourselves.  They  give  us  thoughts  that 
are  usef\d  and  practical  which  we  never  would 
have  gained  by  virtue  of  our  own  reasoning 


SELF-EDUCATION  BY  GOOD  READING  99 


power.  They  made  it  a life  work  to  coin  into 
phrases  words  that  inspire.  Out  of  their  large 
experience  came  the  logical  sequences  of  cause 
and  effect.  Not  to  profit  by  their  teachings  is  a 
crime  against  our  own  prospects — without  them 
we  lag  behind.  Instead  of  progressing  we  look 
on  in  wonder  at  what  is  going  on  in  the  world. 
Somehow  we  cannot  connect  ourselves  with  the 
big  enterprises.  And  all  because  we  failed  to  feed 
our  minds  properly. 

There  is  much  to  be  gained  both  in  pleasure 
and  knowledge  by  reading  historical  novels,  and 
the  lives  of  great  men.  The  books  of  Sir  Waiter 
Scott  and  James  Fenimore  Cooper  are  rated 
among  the  best  in  the  world.  Grant’s  autobiog- 
raphy and  the  personal  stories  of  other  famous 
Americans  provide  fascinating  material  with 
which  to  establish  and  fortify  our  test  for  good 
literature.  The  tales  of  modern  American  finan- 
ciers is  another  field  of  absorbing  interest. 

The  man  with  small  means  can  provide  himself 
with  a working  library  for  a very  little  money. 
Books  are  cheap.  The  public  library  is  always 


100 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


nearby  and  there  is  hardly  a town  of  any  size  but 
what  has  one.  When  we  purchase  a book  we 
should  be  sure  to  obtain  the  best  edition  and  be 
careful  that  it  is  printed  from  good  type  and  on 
clear  paper.  Books  are  likely  to  become  warm 
friends.  We  should  never  purchase  an  abridged 
edition. 

Binding  is  not  such  an  important  factor, 
although  we  like  to  have  our  favorite  hooks  put 
up  in  a handsome  fashion.  With  Shakespeare, 
Emerson,  Roosevelt,  Scott,  Cooper,  Marden  and 
Hubbard  one  would  have  quite  a representative 
collection  for  a start.  It  would  be  easy  to  expand 
the  list  into  many  more.  Of  course,  those  collect- 
ing a small  library  who  have  a specialty,  will  want 
books  dealing  with  the  subjects  in  which  they  are 
interested.  However,  every  practical  library  in- 
cludes books  of  inspirational  character,  and  if  one 
makes  a study  of  the  books  written  by  great 
authors  it  will  he  found  that  all  of  them  profited 
by  the  reading  of  books  which  caused  them  to 
think.  The  Bible  causes  to  think! — and  no 
library  is  complete  without  it. 


CHAPTER  XII 


PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  PEEPAREDNESS 

It  is  not  the  object  of  this  chapter  to  deal  with 
a set  course  of  physical  culture,  but  rather  to 
emphasize  the  necessity  of  keeping  our  physical 
house  in  order.  There  are  plenty  of  books  on 
physical  culture  which  can  be  relied  upon  and 
also  any  number  of  physical  instructors  who  are 
able  to  advise  and  help  along  a set  program. 
There  are  hundreds  of  places,  institutions,  clubs, 
Y.  M.  C.  A.’s,  and  the  like,  which  provide  gym- 
nasiums and  every  other  facility  for  those  who 
determine  to  build  themselves  up  through  con- 
sistent physical  exercise.  That  is  all  very  well 
to  begin  with,  but  afterward  we  must  have  some 
simple  methods  of  our  own  which  will  not  make 
it  a hardship  or  a chore  to  keep  ourselves  in  trim 
— a state  of  physical  prepai’edness.  It  should 
become  a part  of  our  daily  scheme  to  obey  cer- 

101 


102 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


tain,  simple  rules  which  tend  toward  an  auto- 
matic effort  instead  of  a discipline,  and  we  should 
persevere  in  these  until  they  become  fixed  habits. 

It  is  no  trouble  at  all  to  take  exercise  uncon- 
sciously, and  we  only  arrive  at  this  by  turning 
into  an  exercise  any  of  our  ordinary  physical  ac- 
tions during  the  day  as  we  go  along.  For  in- 
stance, we  can  sit  down  in  a chair  and  in  so  doing 
can  add  a certain  amount  of  exercise  to  the  ac- 
tion itself — also  in  rising.  With  very  little  effort 
we  can  come  into  the  habit  of  sitting  correctly — 
posing  the  body  as  it  should  be — holding  the 
shoulders  in  proper  position — also  the  chin  so 
that  it  becomes  a hardship  to  sit  improperly. 

All  of  this  has  to  do  with  general  physique. 
In  walking  we  can  go  along  with  a spring,  elas- 
ticity, and  vigor  of  motion  which  forces  a fine 
blood  circulation  throughout  the  entire  system. 
We  can  stoop  over  in  the  act  of  picking  up  some 
object  from  the  floor  and  at  the  same  time 
make  it  a matter  of  physical  exercise,  and  we 
may  take  a hat  from  the  rack  while  standing 
away  from  it,  thus  stretching  ourselves,  as  it 


Artcraft  Studio 

*1  Scene  from  "In  Again — Out  Again’' 


I 


i 

i 


■i 


•1 


PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  PREPAREDNESS  103 


were,  into  a little  needful  action.  Putting  on 
an  overcoat,  or  any  part  of  our  clothing,  may  be 
done  in  such  a way  as  to  set  the  blood  to  racing 
through  the  body.  Morning  and  night — upon 
getting  up  and  upon  retiring — there  is  every  rea- 
son to  make  it  a rule  to  exercise  freely. 

The  morning  exercise  wakes  us  up  and  sits 
us  down  finally  at  the  breakfast  table  with  a zest 
for  the  food  set  before  us.  The  morning  bath  is 
an  agency  for  good  in  this  direction  after  we  have 
given  ourselves  a good  shake-up  from  head  to 
foot.  By  the  same  token,  exercises  at  night  be- 
fore retiring  induces  sound  sleep  and  takes  away 
the  strain  of  the  preceding  day. 

A very  successful  system  is  that  of  exercising 
in  bed.  Instead  of  immediately  jumping  to  the 
floor  in  the  morning  it  is  very  inviting  to  go 
through  some  simple  form  of  gymnastics  in 
which  the  physical  structure  is  brought  into  play. 

Physical  exercise  is  something  which  can  be 
carried  to  extremes.  We  can  go  at  the  work  so 
intensely  that  we  become  muscle-bound  and  de- 
velop some  structural  enlargements  that  we  do 


104 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


not  need.  This  happens  very  often  among  ath- 
letes. The  ordinary  man  should  fight  shy  of 
such  plans.  Superfluous  strength  is  only  for 
those  who  have  need  of  it.  What  we  really  want 
is  strength  enough  to  carry  us  through  our  daily 
rounds  with  comfort  and  a feeling  of  efficiency. 

In  a sense  we  all  live  by  our  wits  and  these 
decline  when  not  properly  fed  by  our  general 
physical  organization.  Prize  fighters  are  not 
the  longest  lived  people,  nor  are  the  professional 
athletes.  Their  calling  requires  extra  building 
up  which  would  be  a positive  handicap  to  the  av- 
erage man  whose  manner  of  life  doesn’t  require 
this  super-development.  In  other  words,  there 
are  intemperate  methods  of  exercising  just  as 
there  are  of  eating  and  drinking.  We  may  easily 
go  too  far.  Again,  we  can  sin  just  as  greatly  by 
not  going  far  enough.  There  was  a time  when 
men  of  forty  were  as  worn  and  old  as  men  of 
sixty-five  and  seventy  are  today.  As  a matter 
of  fact,  nowadays  a half-century  mark  is  no 
longer  a badge  of  senility  when  a man  has  kept 
himself  fit  and  treated  himself  right. 


PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  PREPAREDNESS  105 


We  all  have  friends  who  are  pretty  well  along 
in  years  by  vu’tue  of  their  carefully  planned 
physical  training,  plus  their  cheerful  dispositions. 
They  are  as  sprightly  and  companionable  as 
though  they  were  many  years  younger.  We 
should  come  to  know  early  in  life  what  a large 
part  good  humor  plays  in  physical  fitness.  In 
previous  chapters  hearty  laughter  was  extolled 
as  one  of  the  very  best  of  exercises.  It  is  an 
organizer  in  itself  and  opens  up  the  heart  and 
lungs  as  nothing  else  will  do.  It  makes  the  blood 
go  galloping  all  through  the  system.  It  is  one 
of  the  best  automatic  blood  circulators  in  the 
business. 

Laughter  takes  the  stress  off  of  the  mind,  and 
whatever  is  ahead  of  us  for  the  day  that  seems 
likely  to  become  a burden  is  soon  turned  into  an 
ordinary  circumstance.  We  smile  as  we  go  about 
doing  it. 

A friend  once  said  to  a banker : 

“How  do  you  know  when  to  lend  money?” 
The  banker  replied : 


106 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


“I  look  a man  in  the  eye  and  then  I do  or  I 
don^r 

The  friend  said: 

“I  would  like  to  borrow  ten  thousand  dollars 
— now !” 

“You  shall  have  it,  Sir,”  the  banker  replied. 

This  meant  that  the  man  who  asked  for  the 
loan  was  in  a state  of  physical  and  mental  pre- 
paredness. If  he  had  gone  into  the  banker’s 
office  looking  like  an  animated  tombstone  he 
wouldn’t  have  had  much  of  a chance  to  borrow 
the  ten  thousand.  It  goes  without  saying  that 
the  open-faced,  hearty  fellow  inspires  confidence. 
There  is  nothing  coming  to  the  dried-up,  sour 
chap,  and  that’s  what  he  usually  gets.  And  what 
we  get  is  largely  a matter  of  our  physical  well 
being.  A modern  philosopher  observed  that  “the 
blues  are  the  product  of  bad  livers” — and  there 
is  no  doubt  but  that  he  was  right. 

The  problem  of  life  is  to  fill  our  days  with 
sunshine.  In  so  doing  we  shall  find  that  the  “lit- 
tle graces”  are  those  which  will  lend  us  the  most 
help.  Tiny  favors  extended,  words  of  encour- 


PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  PREPAREDNESS  107 


agement,  courtesies  of  all  sorts,  unselfish  work 
carried  out  in  an  open  manner,  true  friendships 
and  love,  a hearty  laugh,  a sincere  appreciation 
of  the  other  fellow’s  struggle  to  keep  his  head 
above  water,  the  conscientious  carrying  out  of 
all  tasks  assigned  us — these  are  our  helpmates 
and  they  are  the  products  of  our  physical  and 
mental  equipment.  Through  these  we  come  into 
our  knack  of  detecting  friends  among  those  who 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth. 

It  is  impossible  for  the  person  who  desires  good 
health  to  obtain  it,  or  having  it,  to  retain  it,  with- 
out consistent  effort.  A watch  will  not  run  with- 
out the  proper  regulation  of  the  mainspring.  We 
must  keep  up  our  activities.  We  have  taken  the 
earth  and  are  turning  it  into  something  to  serve 
us — ^therefore  the  need  of  fine  bodily  prepared- 
ness. Nothing  can  take  the  place  of  achievement 
and  it  comes  through  physical  and  mental  effi- 
ciency. The  one  must  not  be  neglected  for  the 
other;  both  must  be  cultivated  and  developed 
alike  in  order  that  each  may  help  the  other. 

Happiness  comes  only  to  those  who  take  care 


106 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


“I  look  a man  in  the  eye  and  then  I do  or  I 
don’tr 

The  friend  said: 

“I  would  like  to  borrow  ten  thousand  dollars 
— now !” 

“You  shall  have  it,  Sir,”  the  banker  replied. 

This  meant  that  the  man  who  asked  for  the 
loan  was  in  a state  of  physical  and  mental  pre- 
paredness. If  he  had  gone  into  the  banker’s 
office  looking  like  an  animated  tombstone  he 
wouldn’t  have  had  much  of  a chance  to  borrow 
the  ten  thousand.  It  goes  without  saying  that 
the  open-faced,  hearty  fellow  inspires  confidence. 
There  is  nothing  coming  to  the  dried-up,  sour 
chap,  and  that’s  what  he  usually  gets.  And  what 
we  get  is  largely  a matter  of  our  physical  well 
being.  A modern  philosopher  observed  that  “the 
blues  are  the  product  of  bad  livers” — and  there 
is  no  doubt  but  that  he  was  right. 

The  problem  of  life  is  to  fill  our  days  with 
sunshine.  In  so  doing  we  shall  find  that  the  “lit- 
tle graces”  are  those  which  will  lend  us  the  most 
help.  Tiny  favors  extended,  words  of  encour- 


PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  PREPAREDNESS  107 


agement,  courtesies  of  all  sorts,  unselfish  work 
carried  out  in  an  open  manner,  true  friendships 
and  love,  a hearty  laugh,  a sincere  appreciation 
of  the  other  fellow’s  struggle  to  keep  his  head 
above  water,  the  conscientious  carrying  out  of 
all  tasks  assigned  us — these  are  our  helpmates 
and  they  are  the  products  of  our  physical  and 
mental  equipment.  Through  these  we  come  into 
our  knack  of  detecting  friends  among  those  who 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth. 

It  is  impossible  for  the  person  who  desires  good 
health  to  obtain  it,  or  having  it,  to  retain  it,  with- 
out consistent  efifort.  A watch  will  not  run  with- 
out the  proper  regulation  of  the  mainspring.  We 
must  keep  up  our  activities.  We  have  taken  the 
earth  and  are  turning  it  into  something  to  serve 
us — ^therefore  the  need  of  fine  bodily  prepared- 
ness. Nothing  can  take  the  place  of  achievement 
and  it  comes  through  physical  and  mental  effi- 
ciency. The  one  must  not  be  neglected  for  the 
other;  both  must  be  cultivated  and  developed 
alike  in  order  that  each  may  help  the  other. 

Happiness  comes  only  to  those  who  take  care 


110 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


viewed  from  a seat  in  the  second  or  third  row 
center  of  a softly  lighted,  thick  carpeted  food 
emporium  saves  us  the  price  of  our  own  meal. 
We  no  longer  hunger  on  our  own  account.  Our 
appetite  is  appeased  by  proxy,  so  to  speak,  and 
we  calmly  fix  our  eyes  on  the  “big  show”  and 
sigh  for  a baseball  bat. 

Xo  wonder  a noted  bachelor  of  medicine  de- 
clares “People  are  v^hat  they  eat!”  The  excla- 
mation point  is  our  own.  We  quite  agree  with 
our  medical  brother  for  we  have  seen  people  eat 
until  we  thought  we  would  never  be  hungry 
again. 

But  there  is  more  to  self-indulgence  than  the 
food  specialist  has  to  answer  for,  so  we  will  be 
on  our  way.  For  instance,  there  is  the  spend- 
thrift; surely  he  is  entitled  to  a short  stanza. 
We  all  know  him.  He  goes  on  the  theory  that 
he  has  all  the  spending  money  in  the  world,  and 
that  long  after  he  is  dead  those  on  whom  he  spent 
it  will  remember  his  generosity.  Vain  hope! — 
Whatever  memory  of  him  remains  will  be  of  a 
different  kind.  Those  who  have  been  bored  by 


Bungalowing  in  California 


SELF-INDULGENCE  AND  FAILURE  111 


his  gratuitous  attentions  will  take  up  the  threads 
of  their  existence  where  they  left  off  when  he 
drove  them  away  from  their  usual  haunts.  No 
longer  will  they  have  to  dodge  down  alleys  and 
run  up  strange  stairways  in  an  effort  to  avoid  his 
overtures. 

When  alive  and  in  full  operation  he  knew  more 
about  what  was  best  for  us  than  we  could  pos- 
sibly think  of  knowing.  Left  to  his  own  devices 
he  would  have  us  smoke  his  particular  brands, 
drink  his  labels,  eat  his  selections,  wear  his  kind 
of  a cravat,  overcoat,  cap,  hat,  shoes,  and  under- 
wear. And  to  make  his  proposition  sound  busi- 
ness like  he  would  willingly  pay  the  bills!  In 
this  little  amusement  we  are  supposed  to  play 
the  part  of  receiver  and  praise  his  generosity. 

Whatever  may  be  our  verdict  on  this  chap  we 
must  keep  in  mind  that  his  inordinate  desire  to 
waste  his  substance  was  no  less  than  a vice  if 
for  no  other  reason  than  its  example  upon  others ; 
it  is  just  as  bad  to  be  a receiver”  as  it  is  to  be 
a spendthrift.  If  we  cannot  build  up  a reputa- 
tion for  generosity  without  becoming  ostentatious 


112 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


we  might  better  take  lessons  in  refinement  from 
someone  “to  the  manor  born.” 

There  is  no  desire  to  single  out  and  set  down 
by  name  and  number  every  sort  of  self-indul- 
gence. Excesses  of  a7iy  kind  are  indulgences, 
and  it  is  easy  to  fall  into  them  if  we  have  not 
built  up  our  stamina  to  resist. 

Our  failures  are  usually  traceable  to  ourselves. 
No  matter  what  excuses  may  be  offered  in  our 
behalf  we  know  in  our  own  minds  that  we  are 
to  blame.  Somewhere  along  the  line  of  our  en- 
deavors we  faltered — then  we  fell.  Our  conser- 
vatism reinforced  by  our  strength  of  character 
finally  gave  way  at  a given  point  and  put  the 
whole  plant  out  of  business.  Our  system  of  in- 
spection had  become  cursory  instead  of  pains- 
taking. Everything  had  been  running  along  so 
smoothly  we  forgot  that  everything  imist  wear 
out  in  time  if  it  isn’t  looked  after  properly. 

A previous  chapter  entitled,  “Taking  Stock  of 
Ourselves,”  has  a specific  bearing  upon  the  sub- 
ject in  hand.  It  emphasizes  the  necessity  of  tak- 
ing stock  of  ourselves  early  in  life  in  order  that 


SELF-INDULGENCE  AND  FAILURE  113 


we  may  know  our  weak  spots  and  take  immediate 
steps  to  dig  them  out  by  the  roots  and  replace 
them  with  ‘'hardy  perennials”  which  thrive  on 
and  on  unto  the  last  day. 

And  that  reminds  us  that  it  is  well  to  take 
stock  of  ourselves  every  little  while.  Even 
“hardy  perennials”  have  to  be  looked  after — the 
ground  kept  fertile  and  watered  against  the 
draughts  of  forgetfulness  and  neglect.  And  so 
it  must  be  with  our  mental  and  physical  processes 
in  order  that  each  day  of  our  lives  we  may  go 
forth  with  renewed  forcefulness — with  every 
atom  of  character  in  full  working  order. 

Having  started  off  on  the  right  foot,  we  are 
less  likely  to  have  trouble  with  our  higher  resolves 
during  the  lean  and  hungry  years  of  our  youth 
when  we  go  plunging  headlong  tow’ard  the  goal 
of  our  ambitions.  Usually  it  is  not  until  we  come 
into  “Easy  Street”  that  we  find  that  we  dropped 
something  somewhere  along  the  line  which  we 
must  replace  at  once  or  we  will  be  laid  up  for  re- 
pairs. But  lo  and  behold!  “Easy  Street”  is  fair 
to  look  upon.  It  dazzles  the  eye — it  takes  hold 


114 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


of  the  sensibilities.  Everybody  wears  “Sunday 
clothes”  on  this  street  and  seems  to  be  superla- 
tively happy.  Surely  it  wouldn’t  hurt  to  linger 
awhile  and  see  what  is  going  on.  Why,  this  is 
the  most  talked  about  street  in  the  world!  Some 
of  the  people  we  have  dealt  with  have  told  us 
about  it.  They  said  it  was  the  only  street  for  a 
man  of  means,  for  there  could  be  found  the  very 
things  for  which  we  strive  in  life.  They  told  us 
that  the  people  we  would  meet  represented  the 
higher  order  of  intelligence,  brainy,  alert,  ac- 
complished— a grand  thoroughfare  for  those  who 
would  know  life  in  the  fullness  thereof. 

Now  it  is  a fact  that  “Easy  Street”  may  be 
crossed  and  recrossed  in  safety  every  day  of  our 
lives  if  we  do  not  tarry.  Financial  competence 
might  permit  of  it,  but  competent  efficiency  de- 
mands that  we  trot  along — keep  moving — get 
away  before  we  settle  down  into  its  ways.  The 
action  we  need  is  not  along  this  brilliant  lane. 

But  suppose  we  do  take  a chance  just  to 
test  the  serene  confidence  which  we  think  is  so 
safely  nailed  down  within  us.  The  very  thought 


SELF-INDULGENCE  AND  FAILURE  115 


of  it  makes  the  “caution  bell”  tinkle  in  our  ears 
— but  caution  is  a species  of  cowardice,  after  all, 
we  say — a man  of  courage  may  dare  anything 
once.  And  just  at  the  moment  we  waver  who 
comes  along  but  our  old  friend  Self-indulgence! 
— the  well  dressed,  carefree  fellow  who  once  told 
us  all  about  “Easy  Street”  and  invited  us  to  look 
in  on  him  sometime.  Nothing  would  please  him 
more  than  to  show  us  the  whole  works — and  here 
he  is  shaking  us  by  the  hand  and  pulling  us  along 
— for  he  is  an  affable  fellow  and  will  not  take 
“no”  for  an  answer. 

Our  struggle  is  feeble — a huge  chunk  of  our 
strength  of  character  falls  off  into  space  then  and 
there.  Even  at  the  gilded  entrance  we  try  again  to 
beg  off — to  slip  away — but  Self-indulgence  will 
not  hear.  So  together  we  go  through  the  portals 
leading  into  a grandeur  we  had  never  known — be- 
yond our  experience  and  power  to  believe.  This  is 
likely  to  become  the  turning  point  in  our  career. 

Bill  Nye  once  said  “When  we  start  down  hill 
we  usually  find  everything  greased  for  the  occa- 
sion.” We  might  add — ""except  the  humps T 


CHAPTER  XIV 


LIVING  BEYOND  OUR  MEANS 

Living  beyond  our  means  is  a big  subject  that 
must  be  treated  broadly,  for  circumstances  alter 
cases.  There  is  a sane  way  to  look  at  every  prob- 
lem, and  the  matter  of  living  beyond  our  means 
is  one  of  the  major  problems  we  have  to  face. 
If  every  man  was  alike  and  every  avocation  in 
life  was  on  a parity,  it  would  he  possible  to  dis- 
pose of  this  subject  in  a paragraph.  But  men 
are  not  alike.  What  one  could  do  successfully 
might  easily  baffle  another.  Therefore,  it  seems 
advisable  to  consider  the  subject  by  looking  into 
its  depths. 

To  most  people  debt  is  terrifying.  To  some 
it  means  nothing — and  thus  we  have  individual 
temperament  as  an  angle  from  which  to  consider. 
Living  beyond  our  ability  to  pay  means  going 

into  debt  via  the  shortest  route.  Getting  out  of 

116 


LIVING  BEYOND  OUR  MEANS 


in 


debt  means  a revision  of  our  code  to  the  extent 
of  ceasing  to  live  beyond  our  means  and  saving 
something  with  which  to  pay  off  what  we  owe. 
Some  men  can  do  this  successfully — others  fad 
while  seemingly  trying  their  best  to  succeed — 
and  still  others  do  nothing  to  stem  the  tide.  With 
these  it  is  a matter  of  how  the  tide  serves.  If 
favoring  winds  should  drive  them  to  opulence 
they  would  more  than  likely  pay  up,  particularly 
those  imbued  with  sufficient  personal  honor  to 
“make  good.” 

Such  are  the  exigencies  of  life,  we  may  as  Avell 
concede  that  a vast  majority  at  some  time  or 
other  find  it  necessary  to  owe  more  than  they 
can  readily  pay.  Emergencies  arise  which  force 
us  into  expenses  that  require  credit,  and  if  we 
have  so  ordered  our  lives  that  when  the  pinch 
comes  we  have  no  credit  established  the  fact  that 
we  pay  out  our  last  dollar  and  go  hungry  to  bed 
does  not  bring  us  much  sympathy.  Thus  it 
would  seem  that  to  be  able  to  say:  “I  pay  as  I 
go,”  or,  “I  owe  no  man  a dollar,”  or,  “I  never 
live  beyond  my  means”  is  not  much  of  a boast. 


118 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


when,  after  a death  in  the  family,  or  other  un- 
foreseen circumstances,  we  find  ourselves  broke 
and  nowhere  to  turn  for  accommodation. 

It  has  been  aptly  said  that  “People  can  save 
themselves  to  death”  In  other  words,  one  may 
develop  the  saving  habit  to  such  an  extent  that 
“Laugh  and  Live”  can  find  no  room  beside  us 
on  the  perch  of  our  existence.  We  must  admit 
that  the  systematic  saver  of  pennies  misses  a lot 
as  he  goes  along,  and,  with  time,  degenerates  into 
a sort  of  “Kill  Joy.”  In  the  matter  of  regulating 
his  family  to  his  way  of  thinking  he  usually  has 
an  uphill  job.  Sons  leave  home  as  soon  as  they 
can;  daughters  marry  and  breathe  a sigh  of  re- 
lief, leaving  mother  behind  to  slave  on  in  order 
that  the  hoard  may  grow. 

While  all  of  this  is  true  it  only  represents  ex- 
treme cases,  therefore  it  should  not  be  construed 
that  this  chapter  is  launched  against  the  habit 
of  saving.  Rather,  its  purpose  is  to  suggest  the 
thought  of  not  “over-saving”  at  the  expense  of 
personal  welfare.  Our  best  plan  would  be  to 
save  in  reason,  not  forgetting  that  life  is  here  to 


LIVING  BEYOND  OUR  MEANS 


119 


enjoy  as  we  go  along.  Then,  too,  we  must  have 
a credit  7’ating  among  our  fellow  mortals,  just 
the  same  as  a business  person  must  have  credit 
rating  among  financial  institutions. 

Credit  in  business  is  worth  more  than  money 
because  it  allows  for  expansion  whereas  money 
in  the  bank  is  only  good  as  far  as  it  goes.  INIany 
a merchant  who  bought  and  sold  for  cash  all  his 
life  found  when  he  came  to  enlarge  his  business 
that  one  thing  w’as  lacking — credit.  The  fact 
that  he  had  always  paid  cash  threw  a doubt  upon 
his  financial  condition  when  he  proposed  to  bor- 
row. He  had  neglected  to  build  up  a credit  as 
he  went  along.  The  business  w’orld  only  knew 
him  as  a man  who  paid  cash  and  exacted  cash. 
Taken  at  his  fullest  inventory  he  had  “scalped” 
a living  out  of  the  world  for  which  he  had  done 
but  little  to  make  happier  or  better.  One  calam- 
ity might  easily  scuttle  his  prospects  forever — 
for  instance,  a fire,  or  a bank  failure.  And  with- 
out credit  it  would  be  difficult  to  start  over  again. 

By  all  means  we  must  save  something  for  the 
“rainy  day”  as  we  go  along — and  our  savings 


120 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


can  be  made  up  of  other  things  than  actual  cash 
in  bank.  One  item  of  our  savings  is  the  habit 
of  keeping  up  our  appearances.  Living  beyond 
our  means  does  not  incorporate  the  thought  that, 
in  order  to  save  every  possible  cent,  we  should 
become  slipshod  and  shabby.  Carelessness  in 
dress  takes  away  from  our  rating  as  nothing  else 
will  for  it  has  to  do  with  first  impressions  of 
those  with  whom  we  come  in  contact.  Gentility 
pays  dividends  of  the  highest  order,  being,  as  it 
is,  a badge  of  character.  Neatness  bespeaks  char- 
acter, and  it  is  just  as  cheap  in  dollars  and  cents 
to  keep  ourselves  respectably  clothed  as  to  in- 
dulge in  shoddy  apparel  under  the  delusion  that 
we  have  saved  money  on  the  purchase  price. 
Good  clothing,  costing  more  at  the  start,  lasts 
long  and  looks  well  as  long  as  it  lasts.  Shoddy 
apparel  never  is  anything  else  but  shoddy,  and 
well  might  it  proclaim  the  shoddy  man. 

When  we  throw  away  our  opportunity  to  pre- 
sent a genteel  appearance,  just  for  the  sake  of 
the  bank  roll,  we  doom  ourselves  to  defeat  in  the 
pursuit  of  knowledge.  We  cannot  get  all  we 


LIVING  BEYOND  OUR  MEANS 


121 


want  to  know  by  the  mere  reading  of  books.  We 
must  mingle  with  people;  we  must  interchange 
thought  that  we  may  crystallize  what  we  know 
into  practical  knowledge  so  it  can  be  made  into 
tools  to  work  with.  While  a man  of  brains  is 
welcome  everywhere  the  matter  of  his  appear- 
ance has  a lot  to  do  with  how  he  is  received  and 
with  whom  he  may  fraternize. 

“Isn’t  it  a pity,”  we  hear  people  say,  “that, 
with  all  his  brains,  he  hasn’t  sense  enough  to  make 
himself  presentable?”  But  the  worst  phase  of 
the  situation  is  that  the  unkempt  man  sooner  or 
later  loses  faith  in  himself  and  either  ceases  to 
hoard  at  the  expense  of  his  gentility  or  he  gives 
up  his  opportunity  to  mingle  with  others 
and  lapses  into  habits  consistent  with  miserly 
thoughts. 

The  phrase  “a  happy  medium”  is  well  known 
and  decidedly  applicable  to  the  subject  of  sav- 
ing as  we  go  along  so  that  we  may  avert  the  sor- 
rows which  follow  in  the  wake  of  living  beyond 
our  means.  It  suggests  a desirable  middle  course 


122 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


which  permits  us  to  adopt  a sane  policy,  rather 
than  flying  to  an  extreme. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  we  are  living  beyond  our 
means  when  by  reason  of  our  association  with 
men  of  affairs  we  need  to  spend  more  money 
and  thereby  save  less  in  preparing  ourselves  for 
the  larger  opportunities  which  will  naturally  fol- 
low. Young  men  often  go  through  college  on 
their  “uppers,”  so  to  speak.  There  is  not  a cent 
which  they  could  honestly  save  as  they  went 
along  without  cheating  themselves.  The  point  is 
that  their  situations  in  life  force  them  to  spend 
rather  than  to  save  money.  But  in  so  doing  the 
real  saving  was  in  the  spending  thereof.  They 
enlarged  their  knowledge  and  decreased  their 
hank  accounts  for  the  time  being.  What  man 
parts  with  in  an  emergency  is  no  license,  how- 
ever, for  him  to  fall  back  into  profligacy.  Never 
should  a man  entirely  lose  the  idea  of  putting 
something  by.  The  college  boy  in  this  case  has 
simply  invested  his  money  in  an  education  in- 
stead of  a bank  account. 

Once  on  the  highroad  of  life  with  a plan  of 


LIVING  BEYOND  OUR  MEANS 


123 


action  well  defined  and  a regular  income  the  habit 
of  putting  money  away  should  become  a flawed 
procedure.  In  no  other  way  do  we  accumulate 
except  by  investment,  and  investment  means  put- 
ting away  money  at  interest  or  in  some  project 
which  promises  better  returns. 

If  we  were  to  interview  a thousand  men  on 
the  subject  of  saving  and  draw  upon  their  ex-  - 
periences  we  would  find  that  by  investing  money 
at  interest  we  pursue  the  safest  course,  far  safer, 
in  fact,  than  the  seeking  of  outside  investments 
that  promise  greater  returns.  The  latter  invites 
the  mind  away  from  the  regular  avocation  and 
educates  it  in  time  to  take  chances  that  are  likely 
to  turn  into  setbacks.  The  mind,  instead  of  ap- 
plying itself  to  the  duty  of  making  the  most  out 
of  its  regular  employment,  allows  its  interest  to 
become  scattered  over  too  broad  a field. 

It  is  not  within  the  province  of  all  men  to  be- 
come wealthy  and,  after  all,  wealth  is  not  the  only 
desideratum;  the  happiest  of  mortals  are  found 
in  the  middle  walks  of  life  and  not  in  the  ex- 
tremes. The  struggle  should  be  to  escape  the 


124) 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


life  which  saps  our  strength,  keeps  our  nerves 
on  edge  and  drives  us  away  from  the  green 
pastures. 


CHAPTER  XV 


INITIATIVE  AND  SELF-RELIANCE 

The  late  Elbert  Hubbard  defined  the  man  with 
initiative  as  the  one  who  did  the  right  thing  at 
the  right  time  without  being  told.  At  this  point 
it  may  be  definitely  stated  that  such  a man  would 
naturally  be  self-reliant.  Such  a man  would  not 
lean  on  his  friends.  He  would  stand  up  with 
them.  . . . He  would  be  found  fighting  his  own 
battles  without  crying  for  help. 

Once  a cub  reporter  was  ordered  by  his  city 
editor  to  go  and  interview  a certain  man.  After 
an  awkward  pause  the  youngster  inquired : 
“Where  can  I find  him?”  Smiling  scornfully  into 
his  eyes  the  city  editor  replied:  “Wherever  he  is.” 

This  would  seem  to  have  been  the  start  and 
finish  of  this  youngster’s  newspaper  career,  but 
quite  the  reverse  was  true.  He  took  the  lesson 
well  to  heart,  thus  starting  himself  on  the  road 

125 


126 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


to  self-reliance.  If  he  had  repeated  the  offense 
it  is  likely  he  would  have  lost  his  job  and  also 
his  nerve — thereby  spoiling  his  chances  for  a 
successful  career.  The  fact  that  he  did  not,  but 
v^ent  on  and  made  of  himself  a famous  news- 
paper man,  proves  that  he  lost  no  time  in  devel- 
oping initiative  and  self-reliance. 

There  is  no  questioning  the  vast  importance 
these  two  words  mean  to  all  of  us.  Many  a man 
who  did  not  grasp  the  significance  of  initiative 
became  a ‘"leaner”  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  Many 
a man  also  missed  his  chances  hy  doing  just  as 
he  was  told  and  nothing  more.  His  work  ended 
there.  In  due  course  it  is  inevitable  that  such  a 
man  should  become  part  of  the  great  army  of  dis- 
contented ne’er-do-wells  who  help  to  block  the 
pavements  in  front  of  the  loafing  places. 

Hesitation,  vacillation  and  growing  diffidence 
take  the  place  of  self-reliance.  He  falls  to  the 
bottom  like  a stone.  And  there  he  rests — a drag 
anchor  in  the  mire.  His  job  gets  the  best  of  him 
because  he  lacks  initiative.  Once  stranded  he 


Demonstrating  the  Monk  and  the  Hand-Organ  to  a Body  of  Psychologists 


INITIATIVE  AND  SELF-RELIANCE  127 


becomes  an  arrant  coward — afraid  of  his  omji 
shadow. 

We  must  mahe  our  own  opportunities  other- 
wise we  are  children  of  circumstance.  What  be- 
comes of  us  is  a matter  of  guesswork.  We  have 
no  hand  in  compelling  our  own  future.  Diffi- 
dence is  a species  of  cowardice.  It  causes  a man’s 
courage  to  ooze  out  at  his  toes  faster  than  it  comes 
into  his  heart.  Such  men  often  have  hig  ideas, 
hut  having  no  confidence  in  themselves  they  lack 
the  power  to  compel  confidence  in  others.  When 
they  go  into  the  presence  of  a man  of  person- 
ality they  lose  their  self-confidence  and  all  of 
the  pent-up  courage  which  drove  them  forward 
fiies  out  at  the  window.  Their  weakness  multi- 
plies with  each  failure  until  finally  “the  jig  is  up” 
— their  impotency  is  complete. 

Very  largely  those  who  have  big  ideas  to  pre- 
sent expect  to  be  taken  in  on  them  and  to  be 
given  an  opportunity  to  succeed  along  with  their 
scheme.  When  a man  becomes  so  unfortunate 
as  to  be  unable  through  diffidence  to  explain  him- 
self, his  big  idea  goes  into  the  waste  basket  and 


128 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


with  it  ail  of  the  hopes  he  has  built  upon  it.  A71- 
other  nail  has  been  driven  into  his  casket  of 
failures. 

To  such  a man,  all  pity,  but  we  will  not  allow 
him  to  escape  until  we  have  given  him  a pat  on 
the  back  and  pointed  out  the  right  road  to  travel. 
We  mustn’t  preach  to  him  or  undertake  to  force 
him  to  do  anything,  but  we  will  at  least  give  him 
a helping  hand  and  show  him  that  there  is  a royal 
road  to  his  goal. 

This  man  needs  first  of  all  to  build  upon  his 
physique.  Perhaps  he  has  a bad  stomach,  and 
likewise  bad  teeth.  Exercise — regular  exercise, 
should  be  the  first  thing  on  his  program.  F resh 
air,  long  walks,  deep  breathing,  dumb  bells,  box- 
ing, rowing,  skating  in  season — and  wholesome 
companionship  day  by  day.  In  the  long  run 
boxing  will  become  his  most  efficient  exercise. 
Wlien  a man  can  take  a blow  between  the  eyes 
and  come  back  for  more  he  has  begun  to  fortify 
his  own  combativeness.  That  is  what  he  needs 
in  life’s  battles — the  nerve  to  come  back  for  more 
after  a slam  on  the  jaw  that  would  lay  another 


INITIATIVE  AND  SELF-RELIANCE  129 


man  low.  And  when  it’s  all  said  and  done  and 
the  exercise  game  has  become  a feature  of  his 
day’s  work,  he  must  settle  down  to  good  plain 
food  and  plenty  of  sleep.  There  is  nothing  in 
all  the  world  like  these  things  combined  for  the 
upbuilding  and  upholding  of  health  and  courage. 

Our  success  is  a matter  of  our  courage.  A man 
who  can  steel  himself  to  be  knocked  down  and 
get  up  immediately  afterwards  and  hand  the 
other  fellow  a ripping  punch  has  added  to  his 
own  “pep.”  All  courage  is  of  the  same  cloth, 
whether  physical,  moral  or  spiritual.  To  build 
upon  one  is  to  build  up  the  others — ^the  human 
system  being  constructed  on  such  a basis  that  if 
one  part  is  affected  ail  the  rest  follow  suit. 

A man  W'ho  isn’t  afraid  of  a physical  combat 
will  readily  match  his  wits  with  his  fellow  man. 
Physical  training  is  therefore  all  important  to 
initiative  and  self-reliance. 

Our  natural  aim  is  to  make  for  ourselves  a true 
personality  that  does  not  know  defeat.  When 
we  come  to  an  obstacle  we  must  be  able  to  hurdle 
it.  It  is  all  very  well  to  say  that  the  longest  way 


130 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


around  is  the  shortest  way  across,  hut  it  doesn’t 
sound  like  initiative  and  self-reliance.  There  is 
one  thing  about  men  who  rely  upon  themselves — 
they  make  no  excuses,  nor  do  they  puff  up  over 
victory. 

Posing  for  applause  is  as  distasteful  to  them  as 
standing  for  abuse.  All  they  ask  is  a square  deal 
and  the  confidence  of  their  associates.  If  they 
faU  down  on  a proposition  they  get  up  and  go 
at  it  again  until  success  crowns  their  efforts.  Such 
men  have  a way  of  turning  defeat  into  victory. 

How  immeasurably  inferior  to  such  a spirit  is 
the  fellow  who  whines  and  moans  at  every  evil 
twist  of  fortune.  He  has  no  confidence  in  him- 
self and  nothing  else  to  do  except  confide  his 
woes  to  all  who  will  listen  to  his  cowardly  story 
of  defeat.  Such  men  are  least  useful  in  the  im- 
portant work  of  this  world.  They  are  the  hum- 
drum hirelings — ^the  dumb  followers.  The  piti- 
ful part  of  it  all  is  that  they  could  have  succeeded 
had  they  but  taken  stock  of  themselves  when  the 
taking  was  good.  But  while  there  is  life  there  is 
hope — likewise  a chance.  It  is  up  to  %s. 


INITIATIVE  AND  SELF-RELIANCE  131 


One  of  the  startling  things  about  men  of  initia- 
tive is  the  way  they  come  forward  in  times  of 
trouble.  We  don’t  have  to  point  to  Andrew 
Jackson  in  the  War  of  1812.  We  can  look 
around  us.  Take,  for  example,  a great  fire. 
Haven’t  we  often  read  of  the  brave  fireman  who 
sprang  forward  and  by  doing  the  right  thing  in- 
stantly, saved  a multitude  of  lives?  Well,  such 
a man  is  possessed  of  self-reliance.  He  is  trained 
for  the  hazardous  life  he  leads.  When  the  emerg- 
ency arose  he  was  ready  in  a jiffy  to  do  the  work 
expected  of  him. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  without  training  such 
men  would  have  botched  the  job  and  instead  of 
being  praised  to  the  skies  would  have  sunk  into 
oblivion  under  the  heap  of  public  scorn.  Some- 
times it  happens  that  a man  accidentally  becomes 
a hero,  but  it  was  no  accident  that  he  was  able 
to  become  one.  He  must  have  had  initiative — ^lie 
must  have  had  self-reliance.  Archibald  C.  Butt 
was  such  a man.  He  went  down  on  the  Ti- 
tanic. The.  last  act  of  his  life  was  to  help  women 
and  children  into  the  boats  and  calm  their  minds 


1S2 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


as  they  were  lowered  away.  Astor  was  of  the 
same  metal — both  sublimely  oblivious  to  the  ter- 
rible fate  which  hung  over  them.  Here  was 
initiative  and  self-reliance  in  its  highest  form. 

And  this  sort  of  man  is  eveiywhere.  The  car 
in  which  we  ride  to  work  every  morning  contains 
one  or  more  of  them.  Let  sometliing  happen  and 
we  will  see  them  spring  forward  with  a line  of 
action  already  formed.  At  their  word  of  com- 
mand we  automatically  obey — and  then  when  the 
worst  is  over  a kindly  voice  reassures  us  and  we 
go  on  our  way  rejoicing. 

What  would  the  world  do  without  these  men? 
History  is  filled  with  the  tales  of  heroes  and  hero- 
ines. And  for  every  J oan  of  Arc  there  are  thou- 
sands upon  thousands  who  have  done  heroic 
things  without  a word  of  praise.  Moreover,  the 
really  brave  soul  declines  all  ovation.  No  real 
hero  claims  reward.  To  have  done  the  right 
thing  at  the  light  time  is  reward  in  itself. 

This  quality  of  self-strength  and  self-depend- 
ence is  not  confined  to  any  race  of  people,  but 
in  nations  where  personal  liberty  survives  initia- 


INITIATIVE  AND  SELF-RELIANCE  133 


live  is  at  its  best.  Somehow,  whenever  the  emerg- 
ency, the  man  comes  forth  to  do  and  dare.  The 
great  world  war,  still  raging  as  these  lines  are 
penned,  has  furnished  untold  thousands  of  ex- 
amples of  courageous  action — enough  to  last  un- 
til the  end  of  human  affairs,  but  they  will  go  on 
and  on  in  multiplied  form,  each  day’s  score  super- 
seding those  of  the  day  before.  It  would  be  bully 
to  know  that  w^e  are  doing  our  share  in  safe- 
guarding the  supply  of  Initiative  and  Self-reli- 
ance needed  in  this  world. 

We  must  keep  moving.  The  fellow  v/ho  gets 
in  a rut  through  lack  of  initiative  finds  that  with 
advancing  years  it  becomes  harder  and  harder  to 
get  out  of  it,  so  that  the  best  plan  is  to  make  the 
move  now  while  there  is  time  to  succeed.  When 
we  come  to  think  of  it,  there  are  plenty  of  posi- 
tions in  the  world  for  the  right  man,  and  if  we 
have  something  to  say  for  ourselves  that  lends 
credit  to  our  ability  we  stand  a chance  for  the 
job. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


FAILURE  TO  SEIZE  OPPORTUNITIES 

There  is  an  old  saying  to  the  effect  that  “op- 
portunity knocks  but  once  at  our  door” — and 
that  is  all  fol  de  rol.  Opportunity  knocks  at  some 
people’s  doors  nearly  every  day  of  their  lives  and 
is  given  a royal  welcome.  That’s  what  Oppor- 
tunity likes — appreciation.  It  goes  often  to  the 
home  where  the  latchstring  hangs  on  the  out- 
side. It’s  like  a sign  reading  “Hot  coffee  at  all 
hours,  day  or  night” — very  inviting.  Very  much 
different,  however,  from  the  abode  whose  win- 
dows shed  no  light  and  whose  door  is  barred  from 
within. 

“Nobody  Home!”  that’s  the  sign  for  this  door. 

Mister  Numbskull  lives  here  and  most  of  the 
time  he  sleeps.  When  anyone  knocks  on  his  door 
he  pulls  the  covers  up  over  his  head  to  shut  out 
the  noise.  He’s  down  on  his  luck  anyhow,  there- 

134 


FAILURE  TO  SEIZE  OPPORTUNITIES  135 


fore  it  would  be  a waste  of  good  shoe  leather  for 
him  to  be  up  and  puttering  around.  If  Oppor- 
tunity ever  knocked  at  his  door  he  could  say  in 
all  truth  that  he  never  heard  it.  He  had  often 
heard  of  Opportunity  being  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, but  one  thing  is  certain — someone  else  had 
invariably  seen  him  first.  He  felt  sure  he  would 
know  Opportunity  if  ever  he  met  him  face  to 
face,  and  if  ever  he  did  he  would  have  it  out 
with  him  then  and  there. 

Meanwhile — dadgast  the  luck! — always  the 
fates  pursued  him  with  some  sort  of  hoodoo.  And 
his  neighbors — ^w'ell,  some  of  them  had  sense 
enough  to  keep  their  distance  and  let  him  alone. 
Others,  however,  had  not  been  considerate  of  the 
fact  that  a “Jinx”  was  on  his  trail,  and  were  giv- 
en to  making  sarcastic  remarks  concerning  him. 
And  thus  it  was  that  Mister  Numbskull  spent  his 
days,  dodging  his  neighbors,  sidestepping  the 
highways  and  obscuring  himself  from  the  very 
individual  he  wanted  so  much  to  behold — Oppor- 
tunity. At  last  there  came  a time  when,  in  de- 
spair, and  in  disrepute,  he  took  to  the  woods  and 


130 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


is  yet  to  be  heard  from.  Opportunity  still  visits 
the  neighborhood,  but  the  path  leading  to  Mister 
Numbskull’s  home  is  grown  up  in  weeds. 

The  fact  is  that  our  real  opportunity  knocks 
from  within.  Through  experience,  built  upon 
consecutively  by  continuous  effort,  our  vision  ex- 
pands and  pounds  its  way  out  through  the  por- 
tals of  our  brain.  We  see  the  thing  that  we  ought 
to  do  and  we  go  to  it!  To  the  man  who  didn’t  see 
it  the  opportunity  did  not  exist. 

“What  we  don’t  know  doesn’t  hurt  us  any” — 
so  runs  the  old  saw.  And  here’s  a case  where  we 
who  didn’t  see,  were  hurt,  but  we  didn’t  know  it. 

For  those  of  us  who  have  vision  there  are  all 
sorts  of  opportunities,  but  many  of  them  are  not 
good  for  us.  The  ones  we  make  for  ourselves  are 
the  healthy  ones,  and  generally  they  are  the  best 
for  us.  “Our  own  baby”  is  the  one  we  will  take 
the  greatest  pride  in  and  enjoy  the  most.  Then 
we  become  masters  of  our  own  destiny  in  a sense 
and  can  be  more  independent  through  having  no 
senior  partners  in  the  enterprise.  Often  our 
dreams  bring  forth  a need  for  many  kinds  of 


FAILURE  TO  SEIZE  OPPORTUNITIES  13T 


special  knowledge  and  for  these  we  go  into  the 
open  market  offering  opportunity  to  many 
others  in  return  for  their  assistance.  Thus  we 
find  that  everything  we  do  is  in  relation  to  other 
things  and  dependent  in  part  on  other  people. 

This  should  make  us  careful  and  a wee  bit 
wary.  Opportunities  are  widely  divergent  in 
nature — through  a stroke  of  hard  luck  one  might 
have  difficulty  in  finding  employment.  The  first 
opportunity  might  lead  to  a job  in  a bar-room, 
hut  having  fortified  ourselves  by  developing  our 
highest  attributes  such  as  honesty,  integrity, 
cleanliness  of  body  and  mind — we  are  able  to 
somehow  or  other  pinch  along  until  something 
better  shows  itself.  First-class  principles  are 
not  to  be  thrown  away  upon  the  first  provoca- 
tion, therefore,  in  order  to  take  away  the  tempta- 
tion, we  might  as  well  figure  out  that  a great 
many  employments  in  the  world  do  not  represent 
real  opportunities  and  therefore  should  not  be 
considered. 

Failure  to  seize  such  so-called  opportunities  be- 
comes a virtue  in  the  same  sense  that  the  failure 


1S8 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


to  seize  a decent  opportunity  becomes  a shame. 

Often  opportunity  comes  through  meeting 
men  of  affairs  who  have  power  and  wealth  at 
their  command.  These  are  usually  in  connection 
with  enterprises  of  the  greater  magnitude. 
Those  of  us  who  have  the  power  to  control  our 
destinies  to  a reasonable  degree  should  not  stand 
back  in  our  support  of  these.  If  we  have  care- 
fully built  up  our  initiative,  self-reliance,  pre- 
paredness in  the  way  of  efficiency,  good  health 
and  the  will  to  do,  there  is  no  reason  why  we 
should  not  aspire  to  take  a hand  in  anything 
in  which  we  are  confident  we  can  succeed. 
Among  the  men  who  control  the  big  affairs  of 
the  business  world  we  find  a true  democracy — 
they  want  the  man.  The  fact  that  he  appears  be- 
fore them  neatly  attired,  bright  of  eye  and  ready 
of  wit  will  surely  count  in  his  favor. 

In  other  words,  we  should  live  up  to  the  op- 
portunity in  whatever  form  it  presents  itself 
after  we  have  accepted  its  responsibilities.  To 
make  this  perfectly  plain  we  must  live  up  to  the 
job!  If  we  are  to  be  superintendent  of  a coal 


FAILURE  TO  SEIZE  OPPORTUNITIES  139 


mine  “underneath  the  ground”  we  will  put  on  our 
overalls  and  jumpers,  but  if  we  are  to  be  man- 
ager of  a grand  opera  house  we  will  appear  in  our 
dress  suits.  The  thought  is  obvious,  but  as  we 
journey  along  we  find  many  of  our  fellow  mor- 
tals neglecting  to  live  in  line  with  what  they  are 
doing. 

We  mention  this  fa,ct  hopeful  that  we  will  not 
fail  to  seize  our  opportunities  bj^  setting  up  ob- 
stacles whereby  we  may  become  persona  non 
grata  through  lack  of  discermnent. 

Opportunity  is  within  ourselves  and  when  we 
have  seized  our  rightful  share,  then  we  may  look 
with  pride  upon  our  endeavor  and  proceed  to 
laugh  and  live! 


CHAPTER  XVII 


AJBSUMING  KESPONSIBILITIES 

Those  who  fear  to  assume  responsibility  neces- 
sarily take  orders  from  others.  The  punishment 
fits  the  crime  perfectlj^-  and  being  self-inflicted 
there  is  no  injustice.  It  is  true  that  many  men 
possessed  of  great  brain  power  play  “second  fid- 
dle” to  shallow-minded  men  of  inferior  wisdom 
from  sheer  lack  of  forcefulness  on  their  own  part. 
They  lack  the  full  quality  of  leadership  while 
possessing  ail  save  one  essential — courage.  F ear 
abides  in  their  hearts  and  spreads  itself  as  a 
mantle  of  gloom  over  their  super-sensitive  souls 
until  finally  they  struggle  no  more.  Henceforth 
they  are  doomed  and  become  the  subject  of  apol- 
ogy on  the  part  of  friends  and  relations.  He’s 
all  right,”  they  say,  “but  he  suffers  from  over- 
refinement.  He  lacks  something — we  cannot 
make  out  just  what.  It  is  altogether  too  bad 

140 


ASSUMING  RESPONSIBILITIES  1^11 

for  he  is  such  a superior  man  among  his  social 
equals. 

We  must  take  our  hats  off  to  those  who  have 
the  goodness  of  heart  to  make  allowance  for 
our  shortcomings.  A disinterested  listener,  how- 
ever, is  seldom  taken  into  camp  by  such  well 
intended  argument.  He  laiows  that  “friend  hus- 
band” or  “friend  brother”  as  the  case  may  be, 
needs  some  sort  of  swift  kick  that  will  stir  his 
combativeness  into  action — that  will  cause  him  to 
turn  upon  his  mental  inferior  and  have  it  out 
with  him  then  and  there — once  and  for  all.  As 
a courage  builder  fighting  for  justice  is  not  to 
be  sneezed  at. 

Courage  can  be  built  up  just  the  same  as  any 
other  soul  quality.  It  is  ail  a matter  of  early 
training  as  to  which  we  start  out  with — courage 
or  fear.  Unthinking  parents  have  a lot  to  do 
with  tlie  propagation  of  fear  in  the  hearts  of 
children.  A neglectful  father  plus  a fear-strich- 
en  mother  constitute  the  most  logical  forces 
wliich  tend  toward  the  overdevelopment  of  fear 
in  a child.  Once  the  seed  is  thoroughly  implanted 


142 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


the  growth  can  be  depended  upon.  How  to  get 
rid  of  it  later  is  not  so  easy  to  figure  out.  Had 
the  child  been  born  with  a “clubfoot”  these  same 
parents  would  have  spent  their  last  dollar  in  an 
effort  to  straighten  it  into  natural  condition. 
They  could  see  the  unshapely  foot  day  by  day 
with  their  own  eyes — and  so  could  their  neigh- 
bors. But  the  fear-warped  little  brain  struggling 
for  courage  with  which  to  combat  its  weakness 
needs  must  battle  alone  with  chances  largely 
against  it. 

The  mere  thought  of  what  is  in  store  for  this 
little  one  as  it  stmnbles  along  from  one  period 
to  another,  fearful  of  this,  and  fearful  of  that, 
is  disconcerting  to  say  the  least.  We  can  almost 
trace  our  friend  “Second  Fiddle”  directly  back 
to  such  a childhood.  We  can  almost  hear  his 
fond  mother  shout,  “Keep  away  from  the  brook, 
darling,  you  might  get  your  feet  wet  and  catch 
your  death  of  a cold”  Another  well  known  and 
highly  respected  admonition  belonging  to  child- 
hood’s hour  is,  “Come  in,  deary,  it’s  getting  dark 


“Wedlock  in  Time” — The  Fairbatiks’  Family 


1 


sj» 

V. 


4 


1 

'3 


■I 


ASSUMING  RESPONSIBILITIES 


143 


— Bogie  man  will  get  you  if  you  don’t  watch 
out.” 

Some  years  later  when  little  son  runs  breath- 
less into  the  home  portal  after  being  chased  from 
school  by  some  “turrible”  boys  we  can  hear  this 
same  little  mother  as  she  storms  about  the  place 
and  tells  what  “papa  must  do”  about  the  matter. 
According  to  her  notion,  if  teachers  could  not 
control  the  “criminal  element”  among  their  pu- 
pils then  it  was  high  time  for  the  police  to  step 
in.  Never  a word  about  little  son  taking  his  own 
part!  Father  listens  in  silence  and  half  formu- 
lates the  notion  of  going  direct  to  the  parents  and 
laying  down  the  law,  while  little  son  listens  in 
fear  and  trembling  in  anticipation  of  what  is  com- 
ing to  him  if  father  carries  out  his  threat. 

Tall  oaks  from  little  acorns  grow — if  the  twig 
is  not  bent  in  the  sprouting. 

Little  son  is  bound  to  grow  into  manhood 
some  day  and  when  he  arrives  he  must  have  one 
particular  attribute — courage.  Somehow  he  will 
get  along  if  he  has  that.  He  may  also  wear  a 
“clubfoot”  or  a “hunch  back,”  but  with  courage 


144 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


as  a running  mate  he  will  assume  his  responsi- 
bilities and  become  a force  in  the  world. 

Once  a great  orator  sat  upon  a rostrum  listen- 
ing to  a speech  by  a man  who  cautioned  his  coun- 
trymen against  taking  steps  to  defend  the  na- 
tional honor.  “We’ll  outlive  the  taunts  of  those 
who  would  drag  us  into  war!”  he  bellowed  forth. 
Whereupon  the  orator  jumped  to  his  feet  and 
with  clarion  voice  shouted,  “God  hates  a cow- 
ard!” and  then  sat  down  again. 

Dazed  at  first  the  vast  throng  sat  stupefied — 
but  only  for  a moment.  Then  as  one  man  they 
j umped  to  their  feet  and  by  reason  of  prolonged 
cheering  gave  national  impulse  to  a thought 
which  has  since  been  sermonized  from  thousands 
of  pulpits.  The  orator  had  simply  paraphrased 
and  put  “pep”  into  the  old  Biblical  slogan:  “The 
Lord  helps  those  who  help  themselves.”  The 
effect  was  electrical.  The  whole  country  rallied 
to  the  idea  with  the  result  that  we  saved  ourselves 
from  war  by  showing  the  solid  front  of  being 
ready  and  willing  to  defend  ourselves. 

Everything  that  tends  to  build  up  courage  is 


ASSUMING  RESPONSIBILITIES 


145 


an  asset  in  life.  The  more  we  have  of  it  the  fur- 
ther we  go  and  the  more  interestmg  our  lives  be- 
come. For  the  man  of  the  lion  heart  all  things 
unfold  and  unto  him  the  timid  must  bring  their 
offerings.  No  one  of  ordinary  gumption  con- 
sults the  human  “flivver.”  Advice  from  him 
would  be  unavailing.  His  point  of  view  would 
be  inadequate — his  ability  to  advise,  impotent. 
We  go  to  the  man  who  does  things  and  say  to 
him:  “Here  is  my  little  idea- — do  you  want  to 

help  me  put  it  over?”  If  it  is  good,  he  does.  If 
not,  his  experience  tells  him  so,  for  men  of  cour- 
age are  naturally  possessed  of  large  vision.  Their 
lack  of  fear  has  given  them  right-of-way  over 
vast  areas  of  the  world  of  action.  They  fail  only 
as  “their  lights  go  out  forever.” 

With  courage  we  order  our  own  lives  and  take 
orders  only  from  those  of  superior  wisdom.  This 
we  can  never  afford  not  to  do.  The  courageous 
man  of  largest  vision  commands  by  his  power  to 
reason  logically  and  therefore  assumes  the  air 
of  comradeship  rather  than  “overseer”  or  “boss.” 


146 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


Only  through  lack  of  moral  and  physical  cour- 
age are  we  to  become  the  slaves  of  these. 

Courage — the  child  of  Hope — the  despair  of 
Failure.  Born  of  Good  Cheer  it  links  its  fate 
with  the  higher  attributes  and  tramples  under 
foot  the  fears  which  spring  up  before  it.  When 
sown  early  into  the  hearts  of  the  young  its  eom- 
panionship  becomes  unerring  in  its  efficiency 
for  good  throughout  their  lives. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


WEDLOCK  IN  TIME 

It  is  a happy  idea  to  marry  while  we  are  young 
— a fine  thing — a good  thing — a pleasant  duty 
indeed  to  marry  the  woman  of  our  choice  at  a 
time  of  life  when  both  are  at  an  age  when  adjust- 
ment is  natural  and  lasting  loyalties  are  im- 
planted in  our  hearts  and  minds  for  all  time.  We 
make  a sad  mistake  when  we  postpone  so  im- 
portant a step  just  for  the  sake  of  becoming  a 
rich  man  first  so  that  our  bride-to-be  may  step 
into  luxurious  quarters  and  never  have  to  lift  her 
dainty  hands  except  to  sip  from  the  glass  of  nec- 
tar we  have  set  before  her.  The  real  facts  com- 
piled by  the  statistical  “System  Sams”  are 
against  this  idea.  The  balance  comes  up  in  red 
ink  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  ledger. 

According  to  these  gentlemen  the  average  mor- 
tal is  likely  to  be  very  fat  and  much  over  forty 

147 


148 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


before  he  can  make  an  offering  according  to  his 
first  generous  impulses  and  the  chances  are  he 
will  never  reach  the  goal  in  this  life.  By  the  time 
he  might  be  financially  ready  there  is  a hard  glint 
in  his  eye,  and  he  will  be  looking  for  the  mote 
in  the  eye  of  his  lady  love.  The  waiting  game 
is  a hard  one  and  it  makes  us  worldly.  After  the 
lapse  of  years  what  once  seemed  a rose  might 
appear  to  be  more  of  a hollyhock. 

Naturally  we  never  blame  ourselves  for  the 
changes.  Had  we  obeyed  the  grand  impulse  in 
the  hour  of  our  youth  we  might  have  kept  the 
garden  full  of  roses  and  the  hollyhocks  would 
never  have  sprouted  there.  Then  the  home  nest 
would  have  tinged  our  sensibilities  with  its  love- 
liness and  our  affections  would  have  been  nailed 
down  hard  and  fast  forever  and  a day. 

Among  the  many  baffling  problems  which  the 
young  man  faces,  and  for  that  matter,  any  man, 
is  marriage.  More  thought,  more  energy  and 
more  time  is  taken  up  over  this  one  decisive  step 
than  over  any  other.  The  reasons  are  obvious. 
It  involves  for  life  the  happiness  of  the  contract- 


WEDLOCK  IN  TIME 


149 


ing  parties — not  only  in  a direct  and  personal 
way,  but  also  in  a general  sense.  The  man’s  busi- 
ness success  largely  depends  upon  the  helpmate 
he  has  in  his  home.  His  career  is  at  her  mercy. 
For  example,  if  the  wife  should  turn  out  to  be 
unsympathetic,  and  uninterested  in  his  ambitions, 
this  fact  might  warp  his  prospects  by  causing 
him  to  lose  heart  in  facing  the  large  problems 
awaiting  him  along  the  road  of  opportunity. 
However,  if  she  is  of  a cheerful,  energetic  dis- 
position and  willing  to  do  all  that  she  can  to  help 
him  over  the  rough  spots  as  they  travel  along 
together  he  will  be  inspired  into  action  and  will 
do  his  level  best.  He  will  be  conscious  as  he  goes 
about  his  work  that  there  is  one  person  above  all 
upon  whom  he  can  depend — his  wife. 

Marriage  is  a seriotis  business  and  usually  we 
concede  that  point  in  the  beginning.  Flowever, 
this  is  not  aimed  as  a blow  at  life’s  greatest  ro- 
mance ...  it  is  merely  the  recognition  of  an 
elemental  fact.  . . . Marriage  must  have  its 
practical  side.  To  become  successful  in  the  high- 
est degree  man  and  wife  must  establish  a com- 


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LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


radeship.  It  is  not  the  part  of  wisdom  that  either 
should  rule  the  other,  but  rather  that  each  should 
have  the  interest  of  the  other  at  heart  and  should 
strive  to  be  helpful  one  unto  the  other.  Two  men 
can  go  through  life  the  best  of  friends,  each  hold- 
ing the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  other.  So 
can  two  women.  Then,  *why  not  a man  and 
wife?  Needless  to  say  they  can,  and  do.  Such 
partnerships  are  sure  of  success.  It  is  only 
through  lack  of  comradeship  that  love  flies  out 
of  the  window — and  lights  on  a sea-going  aero- 
plane. 

The  marriage  state  is  a long  contract — it 
should  not  be  stumbled  into  by  man  or  woman. 
Nor  should  we  become  cowardly  to  the  point  of 
backing  out  of  it  altogether.  Love  is  blind  only 
to  the  blind.  Either  party  to  the  tie  that  binds 
has  a chance  to  know  in  advance  whether  the  ven- 
ture is  safe  and  sane.  All  a man  has  to  consider 
after  he  knows  his  own  heart  is  that  the  woman 
of  his  choice  is  sensible,  considerate  and  healthy. 
Other  things  being  equal  he  can  take  the  leap 
without  hesitancy.  We  shouldn’t  borrow  trouble. 


WEDLOCK  IN  TIME 


151 


Of  course  there  are  those  who  should  never 
marry.  They  do,  however,  and  when  they  do 
they  loan  themselves  to  the  mockery  of  the  mar- 
riage state.  There  is  no  time  to  dwell  on  this 
thought  for  it  is  just  something  that  goes  on  hap- 
pening anyway  and  has  no  bearing  upon  the 
advisability  of  “wedlock  in  time”  between  people 
of  horse  sense. 

Given  a good  wife,  after  his  own  heart,  no 
manly  man  has  a righteous  kick  coming  against 
the  fates.  Under  such  circumstances  if  things 
go  wrong  he  will  find  the  fault  within  himself. 
Of  course  we  should,  to  the  fullest  possible  ex- 
tent, be  prepared  for  marriage  before  assum- 
ing its  responsibilities.  We  should  at  least  have 
a ticket  before  embarking — and  it  is  the  real 
man’s  duty  to  provide  the  ticket.  Sinee  it  is  to 
be  a long  voyage  a “round  trip”  isn’t  necessary. 
In  other  words,  a man  needn’t  be  rich  when  he 
marries — ^but  he  should  not  be  broke,  either.  Lack 
of  funds  a few  days  after  the  honeymoon  is  too 
hard  a test  for  matrimony  to  bear  nobly.  It  is 
too  much  like  inviting  a catastrophe  through  lack 


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LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


of  good,  hard  sense  to  begin  with.  It  shows  poor 
generalship  at  the  very  start — and  there  is  the 
liability  of  eausing  great  distress  and  hardship  to 
a tender-hearted  little  woman.  It  would  be  a sad 
blov/  to  her  to  find  that  the  man  of  her  ehoiee 
was,  after  all,  just  an  ordinary  fellow — a man 
'without  foresight. 

There  are  four  seasons  in  married  life — spring, 
summer,  fall  and  winter,  and  we  are  going  to 
need  a comrade  as  we  go  through  each  of  them. 
And  the  one  we  want  is  the  one  we  start  with — 
the  gentle  partner  in  all  our  joys  and  sorrows. 
It  is  she  who  will  stand  back  of  us  when  all  others 
fail.  When  the  children  come  along  to  bless  our 
days  and  inspire  us  to  greater  efforts  we  are  glad 
to  look  into  their  happy,  smiling  faces  and  find 
that  they  resemble  their  mother — their  soft 
cheeks  are  like  hers,  their  hands,  their  dainty 
ways,  their  caresses.  And  when  mama  looks  into 
those  same  bright  eyes  they  make  her  think  of 
their  daddy.  The  fond  affection  bestowed  upon 
the  children  by  both  parents  is  but  another  mode 
of  expressing  their  regard  for  each  other. 


WEDLOCK  IN  TIME 


153 


Springtime  days,  these!  When  little  tots 
climb  up  and  entwine  their  arms  about  our  necks. 
If  this  were  married  life’s  only  compensation  it 
would  not  prove  in  vain — for  when  the  babies  en- 
ter the  home  the  tie  that  binds  becomes  hard  and 
fast — if  the  man  is  a manly  man.  To  become  the 
father  of  a bright-eyed  babe  is  an  experience  of 
the  highest  importance  to  a young  man  getting 
started.  It  reinforces  his  courage,  doubles  up 
his  ambitions  and  puts  him  on  his  metal.  He  has 
a new  responsibility  and  it  adds  to  his  strength 
of  character  to  assume  it  in  all  its  phases.  An- 
other thing  it  brings  comfort  and  joy  to  the 
mother  during  the  long  days  while  her  man  is  out 
in  the  fray.  It  drives  ennui  out  of  the  household 
throughout  our  springtime  days. 

And  when  summer  comes  along  new  hopes 
dawn  within  us.  Springtime  had  found  us  up 
and  doing  and  when  it  merged  into  the  new  sea- 
son we  found  our  aspirations  even  stronger  than 
before.  Children  must  be  educated  and  their 
futures  prepared  in  advance  as  far  as  may  be. 
They  must  not  go  into  the  world  without  tools  to 


154 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


work  with.  Meanwhile  the  household  teems  with 
plans  and  becomes  a veritable  dreamland  of 
youthful  fervor.  We  find  that  having  helped  our 
children  into  attractive  personalities  they  have 
l)ecome  magnets  with  which  to  draw  about  us 
their  comrades.  Thus  we  hold  on  to  our  j^outh 
by  virtue  of  our  surroundings — creatures  of  our 
thoughtfulness  concerning  “wedlock  in  time” 

That  the  fall  season  is  coming  has  no  terrors 
for  us.  There  will  be  the  weddings  and  plan- 
nings for  new  homes  close  by — if  we  have  our 
say.  And  in  due  course,  the  grandchildren  Avill 
come  who  will  favor  grandpa  and  grandma  and 
once  again  youth  knocks  at  our  door.  There  will 
be  no  dread  winter  days  for  us  for  we  have  been 
forehanded — we  have  a new  crew  on  hoard  to 
chase  away  the  cares  of  old  age  and  infirmities. 

Try  how  we  will  there  is  no  way  to  forestall  the 
operation  of  the  law  of  compensation.  We  reap 
as  we  sow.  The  world  will  be  good  to  those  who 
compel  its  respect  by  becoming  the  right  sort  of 
citizens.  Wedlock  in  thne — that’s  the  answer! 


CHAPTER  XIX 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 

Again  I find  it  expedient  to  resort  to  the  per- 
sonal pronoun  and  therefore  this  final  chapter  is 
to  be  devoted  to  ‘''you  and  me”  There  are  facts 
you  may  want  to  knoAv  for  sure  and  one  of  them 
is  whether  or  not  I live  up  to  my  own  prescrip- 
tion. 

I do — and  ifs  easy! 

I have  kept  myself  happy  and  well  through 
keeping  my  physical  department  in  first  class 
order.  If  that  had  been  left  to  take  care  of  itself 
I would  surely  have  fallen  by  the  wayside  in 
other  departments.  Once  we  sit  down  in  secur- 
ity the  world  seems  to  hand  us  things  we  do  not 
need. 

Fresh  air  is  my  intoxicant— and  it  keeps  me 
in  high  spirits.  My  system  doesn’t  crave  arti- 
ficial stimulation  because  my  daily  esoercise 

155 


156 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


quickens  the  blood  sufficiently.  Then,  too,  I 
manage  to  keep  busy.  That’s  the  real  elixir — 
activity!  Not  always  physical  activity,  either, 
for  I must  read  good  books  in  order  to  exercise 
my  mind  in  other  channels  than  just  my  daily 
routine — and  add  to  my  store  of  knowledge  as 
well. 

Then  there  is  my  inner-self  which  must  have 
attention  now  and  then.  F or  this  a little  solitude 
is  helpful.  We  have  only  to  sense  the  phenom- 
ena surrounding  us  to  know  that  we  must  have  a 
working  faith — something  practical  to  live  by, 
which  automatically  keeps  us  on  our  course. 
The  nwstery  of  life  somehow  loses  its  density 
if  we  retain  our  spark  of  hope. 

All  of  my  life  since  childhood  I have  held 
Shakespeare  in  constant  companionship.  Aside 
from  the  Bible — which  is  entirely  apart  from  all 
other  books — Shakespeare  has  no  equal.  ]\Iy 
father,  partly  from  his  love  for  the  great  poet, 
and  partly  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  me  to  mem- 
orize accurately,  taught  me  to  recite  Shake- 
speare before  I was  old  enough  to  know  the 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


157 


meaning  of  the  words.  I remembered  them, 
however,  and  in  later  years  I grew  to  know  their 
full  significance.  \Then  I became  an  ardent  fol- 
lower of  the  Master  Philosopher,  than  whom  no 
greater  interpreter  of  human  emotions  ever  lived. 
In  the  matter  of  sage  advice  there  has  never  been 
his  equal.  In  Hamlet”  we  find  the  wonderful 
words  of  admonition  from  Polonius  in  his  fare- 
well speech  to  his  son  Laertes — as  good  today  as 
four  hundred  years  ago,  and  they  will  continue 
to  be  so  until  the  end  of  tune. 

It  matters  not  how  familiar  we  may  be  with 
these  lines  it  is  no  waste  of  time  to  read  them 
over  again  once  in  awhile.  They  seem  to  fit  the 
practical  side  of  life  perfectly.  If  we  have  any 
complaint  by  reason  of  their  brusqueness  we  have 
only  to  temper  our  interpretation  according  to 
our  own  sense  of  justice.  In  other  words  if  we 
wanted  to  loan  a “ten-spot”  now  and  then 
we  would  just  go  ahead  and  do  it — meanwhile, 
to  save  you  the  trouble  of  looking  up  these  lines, 
here  they  are  in  “Laugh  and  Live” — 


158 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


And  these  few  precepts  in  thy  memory 
See  thou  character — Give  thy  thoughts  no 
tongue, 

Nor  any  unproportioned  thought  his  act. 

Be  thou  familiar,  but  by  no  means  vulgar. 

The  friends  thou  hast,  and  their  adoption  tried, 
Grapple  them  to  thy  soul  with  hoops  of  steel; 
But  do  not  dull  thy  palm  with  entertainment 
Of  each  new-hatch’d,  unfledged  comrade.  Be- 
ware 

Of  entrance  to  a quarrel : but,  being  in, 

Bear’t  that  the  opposed  may  beware  of  thee. 
Give  every  man  thine  ear,  but  few  thy  voice: 
Take  each  man’s  censure,  but  reserve  thy  judg- 
ment. 

Costly  thy  habit  as  thy  purse  can  buy. 

But  not  express’d  in  fancy;  rich,  not  gaudy: 
For  the  apparel  oft  proclaims  the  man; 

And  they  in  France  of  the  best  rank  and  station 
Are  of  a most  select  and  generous  sheaf  in  that. 
Neither  a borrower  nor  a lender  be; 

For  loan  oft  loses  both  itself  and  friend. 

And  borrowing  dulls  the  edge  of  husbandry. 

This  above  all — to  thine  ownself  be  true; 

And  it  must  follow,  as  the  night  the  day. 
Thou  canst  not  then  he  false  to  any  man. 


WhiU  Studio 


Here’s  Hoping! 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


159 


The  time  has  come  to  close  this  little  book.  It 
has  been  a great  pleasure  to  write  it  and  a 
greater  pleasure  to  hope  that  it  will  be  received 
in  the  same  spirit  it  has  been  written.  These  are 
busy  days  for  all  of  us.  We  go  in  a gallop  most 
of  the  time,  but  there  comes  the  quiet  hour  when 
we  must  sit  still  and  “take  stock.”  I know  this 
from  the  letters  that  come  to  me  asking  my 
opinion  on  all  sorts  of  subjects.  People  be- 
lieve I am  happy  because  my  laughing  pic- 
tures seem  to  denote  this  fact — and  it  is  a fact! 
In  the  foregoing  chapters  I have  told  why.  If, 
in  the  telling  I shall  have  been  instrumental  in 
adding  to  the  world's  store  of  happiness  I shall 
ever  thank  my  “lucky  stars.” 


) 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF 
DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS 

by- 

George  Creel 

Reprinted  from  Everybody' a Magazine  by  Permiaaion  of 

The  Ridgway  Company 
New  York. 


I 


.1 


CHAPTER  XX 


A “close-up”  of  DOUGLAS  FAIEBANKS 

Young  Mi”.  Douglas  Fairbanks,  star  alike  in 
both  the  “speakies”  and  the  “movies,”  is  well 
worth  a story.  He  is  what  every  American 
might  be,  ought  to  be,  and  frequently  is  not. 
More  than  any  other  that  comes  to  mind,  he  is 
possessed  of  the  indomitable  optimism  that  gives 
purpose,  “punch,”  and  color  to  any  life,  no  mat- 
ter what  the  odds. 

He  holds  the  world’s  record  for  the  standing 
broad  grin.  There  isn’t  a minute  of  the  day  that 
fails  to  find  him  glad  that  he’s  alive.  Nobody 
ever  saw  him  with  a “grouch,”  or  suffering  from 
an  attack  of  the  “blues.”  Nobody  ever  heard 
him  mention  “hard  luck”  in  connection  with 
one  of  his  failures.  The  worse  the  breaks 
of  the  game,  the  gloomier  the  outlook,  the  wider 

his  grin.  He  has  made  cheerfulness  a habit,  and 

163 


164 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


it  has  paid  him  in  courage,  in  bubbling  energy, 
and  buoyant  resolve. 

We  are  a young  nation  and  a great  nation. 
Judging  from  the  promise  of  the  morning,  there 
is  nothing  that  may  not  be  asked  of  America’s 
noon.  A land  of  abundance,  with  not  an  evil 
that  may  not  be  banished,  and  yet  there  is  more 
whining  in  it  than  in  any  other  country  on  the 
face  of  the  globe.  If  we  are  to  die,  “Nibbled  to 
Death  by  Ducks”  may  well  be  put  on  the  tomb- 
stone. Little  things  are  permitted  to  bring  about 
paroxysms  of  peevishness.  Even  our  pleasures 
have  come  to  be  taken  sadly.  We  are  irritable  at 
picnics,  snarly  at  clambakes,  and  bored  to  death 
at  dinners. 

The  Government  ought  to  hire  Douglas  Fair- 
banks, and  send  him  over  the  country  as  an  agent 
of  the  Bureau  of  Grins.  Have  him  start  work 
in  Boston,  and  then  rush  him  by  special  train  to 
Philadelphia.  If  the  wealth  of  the  United 
States  increased  $41,000,000,000  during  the  last 
three  peevish,  whining  years,  think  what  would 
happen  if  we  learned  the  art  of  joyousness  and 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  165 


gained  the  strength  that  comes  from  good  humor 
and  optimism! 

“Doug”  Fairbanks — now  that  he  is  in  the 
“movies”  we  don’t  have  to  be  formal — is  the  liv- 
ing, breathing  proof  of  the  value  of  a grin.  His 
rise  from  obscurity  to  fame,  from  poverty  to 
wealth,  has  no  larger  foundation  than  his  ever- 
ready  willingness  to  let  the  whole  world  see 
every  tooth  in  his  head. 

Good  looks?  Artistry?  Bosh!  The  Fair- 
banks features  were  evidently  picked  out  by 
a utilitarian  mother  who  preferred  use  to  orna- 
ment; and  as  for  his  acting,  critics  of  the  drama, 
imbued  with  the  traditions  of  Booth  and  Barrett, 
have  been  known,  to  sob  like  children  after  wit- 
nessing a Fairbanks  performance. 

It  is  the  joyousness  of  the  man  that  gets  him 
over.  It’s  the  100  per  cent,  interest  that  he  takes 
in  everything  lie  goes  at  that  lies  at  the  back  of 
his  success.  He  does  nothing  by  halves,  is  never 
indifferent,  never  lackadaisical. 

At  various  stages  in  his  brief  career  he  has 
been  a Shakespearean  actor.  Wall  Street  clerk, 


166 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


hay  steward  on  a cattle-boat,  vagabond,  and 
business  man,  knowing  poverty,  hunger,  and  dis- 
comfort at  times,  but  never,  never  losing  the 
grin.  Things  began  to  move  for  him  when  he 
left  a Denver  high  school  back  in  1900  for  the 
purpose  of  entering  college.  As  he  says,  “A  man 
can’t  be  too  careful  about  college.” 

He  started  for  Princeton,  but  met  a youth  on 
the  train  who  was  going  to  Harvard.  He  took 
a special  course  at  Cambridge — just  what  it  was 
he  can’t  remember — but  at  the  end  of  the  year 
it  was  hinted  to  him  that  circus  life  was  more 
suited  to  his  talents,  particularly  one  with  three 
rings. 

A friend,  however,  suggested  the  theatre,  and 
gave  him  a card  to  Frederick  Warde,  the  trage- 
dian. Mr.  Warde  fell  for  the  Fairbanks  grin, 
and  as  a first  part  assigned  him  the  role  of 
Frangois,  the  lackey,  in  “Richelieu.”  What  he 
lacked  in  experience  he  made  up  for  in  activity 
and  unflagging  merriment.  It  got  to  be  so  that 
Warde  was  almost  afraid  to  touch  the  bell,  for 
lie  never  knew  whether  the  amazing  Franfois 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  167 


would  enter  through  the  door  or  come  down  from 
the  ceiling. 

After  the  company  had  done  its  worst  to 
“Richelieu,”  it  changed  to  Shakespearean  reper- 
toire, and  for  one  year  young  Fairbanks  engaged 
in  what  Mr.  Warde  was  pleased  to  term  a 
“catch-as-catch-can  bout  with  the  immortal 
Bard.”  When  friends  of  Shakespeare  finally 
protested  in  the  name  of  humanity,  the  strenuous 
Douglas  accepted  an  engagement  with  Herbert 
Kelcey  and  Effie  Shannon  in  “Her  Lord  and 
Master.” 

Five  months  went  by  before  the  two  stars 
broke  under  the  strain,  and  by  that  time  news 
had  come  to  Mr.  Fairbanks  that  Wall  Street 
was  Easy  Money’s  other  name.  Armed  with  his 
grin,  he  marched  into  the  ofiice  of  De  Coppet  & 
Doremus,  and  when  the  manager  came  out  of  his 
trance  Shakespeare’s  worst  enemy  was  holding 
down  the  job  of  order  man. 

“The  name  Coppet  appealed  to  me,”  he  ex- 
plains. 

He  is  still  remembered  in  that  office,  fondly 


168 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


but  fearfully.  He  did  his  work  well  enough; 
in  faet,  there  are  those  who  insist  that  he  invented 
scientific  management. 

“How  about  that?”  I asked  him,  for  it  puzzled 
me. 

“Well,  you  see,  it  was  this  way:  For  five  days 
in  a week  I would  say,  ‘Quite  so’  to  my  assistant, 
no  matter  what  he  suggested.  On  Saturday  I 
would  dash  into  the  manager’s  office,  wag  my 
head,  knit  my  brow,  and  exclaim,  ‘What  we 
need  around  here  is  efficiency/  And  once  I 
urged  the  purchase  of  a time-clock.” 

The  way  he  filled  his  spare  time  was  what 
bothered.  What  with  his  tumbling  tricks,  box- 
ing, wrestling,  leap-frog  over  chairs,  and  other 
small  gaieties,  he  mussed  up  routine  to  a certain 
extent.  But  he  was  not  discharged.  At  a point 
where  the  firm  was  just  one  jump  ahead  of  nerv- 
ous prostration,  along  came  “Jack”  Beardsley 
and  “Little”  Owen,  two  husky  football  players 
with  a desire  to  see  life  without  the  safety  clutch. 

The  three  approached  the  officials  of  a cattle- 
steamship,  and  by  persistent  claims  to  the  effect 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  169 


that  they  “had  a way”  with  dumb  animals,  got 
jobs  as  hay  stewards. 

“We  found  the  cows  very  nice,”  comments  Mr. 
Fairbanks.  “No  one  can  get  me  to  say  a word 
against  them.  But  those  stokers!  And  those 
other  stable-maids  1 Pow!  We  had  to  fight ’em 
from  one  end  of  the  voyage  to  the  other,  and  it 
got  so  that  I bit  myself  in  my  sleep.  The  three 
of  us  got  eight  shillings  apiece  when  we  landed 
at  Liverpool,  and  tickets  back,  but  there  were 
several  little  things  about  Europe  that  bothered 
us,  and  we  thought  we’d  see  what  the  trouble 
was.” 

They  “hoboed”  it  through  England,  France, 
and  Belgium,  working  at  any  old  job  until  they 
gathered  money  enough  to  move  along,  whether 
it  was  carrying  water  to  English  navvies  or  un- 
loading paving-blocks  from  a Seine  boat.  After 
three  joyous  months,  they  felt  the  call  of  the  cat- 
tle, and  came  home  on  another  steamer. 

Back  on  his  native  heath,  young  Fairbanks 
took  a shot  from  the  hip  at  law,  but  missed. 
Then  he  got  a job  in  a machine-manufacturing 


170 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


plant,  but  one  day  he  found  that  his  carelessness 
had  permitted  dollars  to  accumulate,  and 

he  breezed  down  to  Cuba  and  Yucatan  to  see 
what  openings  there  were  for  capital.  Back 
from  that  tramping  trip,  he  figured  that  since  he 
had  not  annoyed  the  stage  for  some  time  it  cer- 
tainly owed  him  something. 

His  return  to  the  drama  took  place  in  “The 
Rose  of  Plymouth  Town,”  a play  in  which  Miss 
Minnie  Dupree  was  the  star.  Meeting  Miss 
Dupree,  I asked  her  what  sort  of  an  actor  Fair- 
banks was  in  those  days. 

“Well,”  she  said  judiciously,  “I  think  that  he 
was  about  the  nicest  case  of  St.  Vitus’  dance  that 
ever  came  under  my  notice.” 

William  A.  Brady  got  him  next.  Mr.  Brady 
is  quite  a dynamo  himself,  and  there  was  also  a 
time  in  his  life  when  he  managed  James  J.  Cor- 
bett. The  two  fell  into  each  other’s  arms  with  a 
cry  of  joy,  and  for  seven  years  they  touched  off 
dramatic  explosions  that  strewed  fat  actors  all 
over  the  landscape  and  tore  miles  of  scenery  into 
ribbons. 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  171 


“Some  boy!”  was  Mr.  Brady’s  tribute.  “Put 
him  in  a death  scene,  and  he’d  find  a way  to  break 
the  furniture.” 

There  was  never  a part  that  “Doug”  Fair- 
banks lay  down  on.  To  every  role  he  brought 
joy  and  interest  and  enthusiasm,  and  the  night 
came  inevitably  that  saw  his  name  in  electric 
letters. 

It  is  not  claimed  that  his  work  as  a star  “ele- 
vated” the  drama,  but  it  may  safely  be  claimed 
that  he  never  appeared  in  any  play  that  was  not 
wholesome,  stimulating,  and  helpful. 

Nothing  was  more  natural  than  that  the  mov- 
ies should  seek  such  an  actor,  and  they  set  the 
trap  with  attractive  bait. 

“Come  over  to  us,”  they  said,  “and  we’ll  let 
you  do  anything  you  want.  Outside  of  poison 
gas  and  actual  murder,  the  sky’s  the  limit.” 

Without  even  waiting  to  kick  off  his  shoes, 
“Doug”  Fairbanks  made  a dive. 

The  movie  magnates  got  what  they  wanted, 
and  Fairbanks  got  what  he  wanted.  For  the 
first  time  in  his  life  he  was  able  to  “let  go”  with 


lift 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


all  the  force  of  his  dynamic  individuality,  and  he 
took  full  advantage  of  the  opportunity. 

In  “The  Lamb,”  his  first  adventure  before  the 
camera,  he  let  a rattlesnake  crawl  over  him, 
tackled  a mountain  lion,  jiu-jitsued  a bunch  of 
Yaqui  Indians  until  they  bellowed,  and  operated 
a machine-gun. 

In  “His  Picture  in  the  Papers,”  he  was  called 
upon  to  run  an  automobile  over  a cliff,  engage  in 
a grueling  six-round  go  with  a professional  pu- 
gilist, jump  off  an  Atlantic  liner  and  swim  to 
the  distant  shore,  mix  it  up  in  a furious  battle 
royal  with  a half  dozen  husky  gunmen,  leap  twice 
from  swiftly  moving  trains,  and  also  to  resist 
arrest  by  a squad  of  Jess  Willards  dressed  up 
in  police  uniforms. 

“The  Half-Breed”  carried  him  out  to  Cali- 
fornia, and,  among  other  things,  threw  him  into 
the  heart  of  a forest  fire  that  had  been  carefully 
kindled  in  the  redwood  groves  of  Calaveras 
County.  Amid  a rain  of  burning  pine  tufts,  and 
with  great  branches  falling  to  the  ground  all 
around  him,  “Douggie”  was  required  to  dash  in 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  173 


and  save  the  gallant  sheriff  from  turning  into  a 
cinder.  Hair  and  eyelashes  grew  out  again, 
however,  his  blisters  healed,  and  in  a few  days  he 
was  as  good  as  new. 

“The  Habit  of  Happiness”  was  rich  in  stunts 
that  would  have  made  even  Battling  Nelson  turn 
to  tatting  with  a sigh  of  relief.  Five  gangsters, 
sicked  on  to  their  work  by  the  villain,  waylaid 
our  hero  on  the  stairs,  and  in  the  rough-and-tum- 
ble that  followed,  it  was  his  duty  to  beat  each  and 
every  one  of  them  into  a state  of  coma.  He  per- 
formed his  task  so  conscientiously  that  his  hands 
were  swollen  for  a week,  not  to  mention  his  eyes 
and  nose.  As  for  the  five  extra  men  who  posed 
as  the  gangsters,  all  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
dock-walloping  was  far  less  strenuous  than  art, 
and  went  back  to  their  former  jobs. 

“The  Good  Bad  Man”  was  a Western  picture 
that  contained  a thrill  to  every  foot  of  film.  Our 
hero  galloped  over  mountains,  jumping  from 
crag  to  crag,  held  up  an  express  train  single- 
handed  in  order  to  capture  the  conductor’s 
ticket-punch,  grappled  with  gigantic  despera- 


174 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


does  every  few  minutes,  shot  up  a saloon,  and 
was  dragged  around  for  quite  a while  at  the  end 
of  a lynching  party’s  rope. 

“Reggie  Mixes  In”  was  one  joyous  round  of 
assault  and  battery  from  beginning  to  end. 
Happening  to  fall  in  love  with  a dancer  in  a 
Bowery  cabaret,  Reggie  puts  family  and  fortune 
behind  him  and  takes  a job  as  “bouncer”  so  as 
to  be  near  his  lady-love.  Aside  from  his  regular 
duties,  he  is  required  to  work  overtime  on  account 
of  the  hatred,  of  a gang-leader  who  also  loves  the 
girl.  Five  scoundrels  jump  Reggie,  and,  after 
manhandling  four,  he  drops  from  a second-story 
window  to  the  neck  of  the  fifth,  and  chokes  him 
with  hands  and  legs.  After  which  he  carries  the 
senseless  wretch  down  the  street,  and  gaily  flicks 
him,  as  it  were,  through  a window  at  the  villain’s 
feet.  As  a tasty  little  finish,  Reggie  and  his 
rival  lock  themselves  in  an  empty  room,  and  en- 
gage in  a contest  governed  by  packing-house 
rules. 

Three  days  after  the  combat,  by  the  way,  the 
company  heads  were  pleased  to  announce  that 


© Lumiere 


A Close-  Up 


A “CLOSE-UP”  or  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  175 


both  men  were  out  of  danger  unless  blood-poi- 
soning set  in. 

“The  Mystery  of  the  Leaping  Fish”  was  what 
is  known  as  a “water  pieture,”  and  “Doug,”  as  a 
comedy  detective,  was  compelled  to  make  a hu- 
man submarine  of  himself,  not  to  mention  several 
duels  in  the  dark  with  Japanese  thugs  and  opium 
smugglers. 

“Another  day  of  it,”  he  grinned,  “and  I’d  have 
grown  fins” 

“Manhattan  Madness”  was  really  nothing 
more  than  St.  Vitus’s  dance  set  to  ragtime.  Our 
hero  climbed  up  eaves-pipes,  plunged  through 
trap-doors  down  into  dungeons,  jumped  from 
the  roof  of  a house  into  a tree,  kicked  his  way  in 
and  out  of  secret  closets,  and  engaged  in  hair- 
raising  combats  with  desperate  villains  every  few 
minutes. 

It  is  not  only  the  case  that  “Doug”  F airbanks 
made  good  with  the  movie  fans.  What  is  more 
to  the  point,  he  made  good  with  the  “bunch”  it- 
self. In  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  the  “legitimate” 
star,  going  over  into  pictures,  evades  and  avoids 


176 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


the  “rough  stuff.”  To  some  humble,  hardy 
“double”  is  assigned  the  actual  work  of  falling 
off  the  cliff,  riding  at  full  speed  across  granite 
hedges,  taking  a good  hard  punch  in  the  nose, 
or  plunging  from  the  top  of  the  burning 
building. 

Many  an  honest  cowpuncher,  taking  his  girl 
to  the  show  with  him  to  let  her  see  what  a dare- 
devil he  is,  has  died  the  death  upon  discovering 
that  he  was  merely  “doubling”  for  some  cow- 
eyed  hero  who  lacked  the  nerve  to  do  the  stunt 
himself. 

“Doug”  Fairbanks  is  one  of  the  few  movie 
heroes  who  have  never  had  a “double.”  He  asks 
no  man  to  do  that  which  he  is  afraid  to  do  him- 
self. No  fall  is  too  hard  for  him,  no  fight  too 
furious,  no  ride  too  dangerous.  There  is  not  a 
single  one  of  his  pictures  in  which  he  hasn’t  taken 
a chance  of  breaking  his  neck  or  his  bones;  but, 
as  one  bronco-buster  observed,  “He  jes’  licks  his 
lips  an’  asks  for  more.” 

To  be  sure,  few  actors  have  brought  such 
super-physical  equipment  to  the  strenuous  work 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  177 


of  the  movies.  Fairbanks,  in  addition  to  being 
blessed  with  a strong,  lithe  body,  has  developed 
it  by  expert  devotion  to  every  form  of  athletic 
sport.  He  swims  well,  is  a crack  boxer,  a good 
polo  player,  a splendid  wrestler,  a skilful  acro- 
bat, a fast  runner,  and  an  absolutely  fearless 
rider. 

There  is  never  a picture  during  the  progress  of 
which  he  does  not  interpolate  some  sudden  bit  of 
business  as  the  result  of  his  quick  wit  and  dy- 
namic enthusiasm.  In  one  play,  for  instance,  he 
was  supposed  to  enter  a house  at  sight  of  his 
sweetheart  beckoning  to  him  from  an  upper  win- 
dow. As  he  passed  up  the  steps,  however,  his 
roving  eye  caught  sight  of  the  porch  railing,  a 
window-ledge,  and  a balcony,  and  in  a flash  he 
was  scaling  the  facade  of  the  house  like  any  cat. 

In  another  play  he  was  trapped  on  the  roof  of 
a country  home.  Suddenly  Fairbanks,  disre- 
garding the  plan  of  retreat  indicated  by  the 
author,  gave  a wild  leap  into  a near-by  maple, 
managed  to  catch  a bough,  and  proceeded  to  the 


178 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


ground  in  a series  of  convulsive  falls  that  gave 
the  director  heart-failure. 

During  “The  Half-Breed”  picture,  some  of 
the  action  took  place  about  a fallen  redwood 
that  had  its  great  roots  fully  tvv^enty  feet  into 
the  air. 

“Climb  up  on  top  of  those  roots,  Doug,” 
yelled  the  director. 

Instead  of  that,  “Douggie”  went  up  to  a 
young  sapling  that  grew  at  the  base  of  the  fallen 
tree.  Bending  it  down  to  the  ground,  as  an 
archer  bends  his  bow,  he  gave  a sudden  spring, 
and  let  the  tough  birch  catapult  him  to  the  high- 
est root. 

“What  do  you  want  me  to  do  now?”  he 
grinned. 

“Come  back  the  same  way,”  grinned  the  di- 
rector. 

ISIost  “legitimate”  actors — the  valuation  is 
their  own — find  the  movies  rather  dull.  Time 
hangs  very  heavily  upon  their  hands.  As  one 
remarked  to  me  in  tones  that  were  thick  with  a 
divine  despair:  “There’s  absolutely  nothing  for 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  179 


a chap  to  do.  In  lots  of  the  God-forsaken  holes 
they  drag  you  to,  there  isn’t  even  a hotel.  No 
companionship,  no  diversion  of  any  kind,  and 
oftentimes  no  bathtubs.” 

Douglas  Fairbanks  enters  no  such  complaint. 
He  draws  upon  the  energy  and  interest  that 
ought  to  be  in  every  human  being,  and  when  en- 
tertainment is  not  in  sight,  he  goes  after  it. 
When  they  were  making  “The  Half-Breed”  pic- 
tures in  the  Carquinez  woods  of  Northern  Cali- 
fornia, he  was  never  seen  around  the  camp  ex- 
cept when  actually  needed  by  the  camera  man. 
Upon  his  return  from  these  absences,  it  was  no- 
ticed that  his  hands  were  usually  bleeding,  and 
his  elothing  stained  and  torn. 

“What  in  the  name  of  mischief  have  you  been 
doing  now?”  the  director  demanded  on  a day 
when  Fairbanks’s  wardrobe  was  almost  a total 
loss. 

“Trappin’,”  chirped  the  star. 

Beating  about  the  woods,  Bret  Harte  in  hand, 
he  had  managed  to  discover  an  old  woodsman 
who  still  held  to  the  ancient  industries  of  his 


180 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


youth.  The  trapper’s  specialty  was  “bob  cats,” 
and  the  bleeding  hands  and  torn  clothes  came 
from  “Doug’s”  earnest  efforts  to  handle  the 
“varmints”  just  as  his  venerable  pi'eceptor 
handled  them.  Out  of  the  experience,  at  least, 
he  brought  an  intimate  knowledge  of  field,  for- 
est, and  stream,  for  over  the  fire  and  in  their 
walks  he  had  pumped  the  old  man  dry. 

In  the  same  way  he  made  “The  Good  Bad 
Man”  hand  him  over  everything  of  value  that 
frontier  life  contained.  The  picture  was  taken 
out  in  the  IMohave  desert;  for  the  making  of  it 
the  director  had  scoured  the  West  for  riders  and 
ropers  and  cowboys  of  the  old  school.  “He  men” 
— every  one  of  them,  and  for  a time  they  looked 
with  dislike  and  suspicion  upon  the  “star,”  but 
when  they  saw  that  Fairbanks  did  not  ask  for 
anj'^  “double,”  and  took  the  hardest  tumble  with 
a grin,  they  received  him  into  their  fellowship 
with  a heartfelt  yell. 

Dull  in  the  Mohave  desert?  Why,  he  had  to 
sit  up  nights  to  keep  even  with  his  engagements. 
From  one  man  he  learned  bronco-busting,  from 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  181 


another  fancy  roping,  and  from  others  all  that 
there  is  to  know  about  horses,  cattle,  mountain, 
and  plain.  And  around  the  camp-fires  he  got 
stories  of  the  v/inning  of  the  West  such  as  never 
found  their  way  into  histories. 

When  one  picture  called  for  jiu-jitsu  work,  he 
didn’t  rest  satisfied  with  learning  just  enough 
to  “get  by.”  Every  spare  moment  found  hun  in 
a clinch  with  the  Japanese  expert,  mastering 
every  secret,  perfecting  himself  in  every  hold. 
Same  way  with  boxing.  When  no  pugilists  came 
handy,  he  put  on  the  gloves  with  anyone  willing 
to  take  chances  on  a black  eye,  keeping  at  it  until 
today  they  have  to  hire  professionals  when  he 
figures  in  a movie  fight. 

When  they  made  a “water”  picture  he  never 
stopped  until  he  could  duplicate  every  trick 
known  to  the  “professor”  who  drilled  the  extra 
men.  He  took  advantage  of  a biplane  flight  to 
make  friends  with  the  aeronaut,  and  by  the  time 
the  picture  was  done,  he  was  as  good  a driver  as 
the  expert. 

N^o  matter  where  he  is,  or  what  the  job,  he 


182 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


finds  something  of  interest  because  he  goes  upon 
the  theory  that  everj^  minute  is  meant  to  be  lived. 
Maroon  him  at  a cross-roads,  with  five  hours  un- 
til train  time,  and  he’d  have  the  operator’s  first 
name  in  ten  minutes  and  be  learning  the  Morse 
alphabet,  after  which  he  would  rush  up  to  his  new 
friend’s  house  to  see  the  babies  or  to  pass  judg- 
ment on  a Holstein  calf  or  a Black  Minorca 
brood. 

It  is  the  tremendously  human  quality,  more 
than  anything  else,  that  gets  him  across.  People 
like  him  because  he  likes  them.  He  attracts  in- 
terest because  he  takes  interest.  Talk  with  any 
of  the  big  men  in  the  motion-picture  industry, 
that  is,  those  with  brains  and  education,  and  they 
will  tell  you  that  personality  counts  more  in  pic- 
tures than  it  does  on  the  stage. 

PI.  E.  Aitken,  president  of  the  Triangle  Film 
Corporation,  said  to  me:  “The  screen  is  intimate. 
The  camera  brings  the  actor  right  into  your  lap. 
In  the  speaking  drama,  make-up  and  footlights 
change  and  hide,  but  not  the  least  dicker  of  ex- 
pression is  lost  in  the  picture.  It’s  a test  of  real- 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  183 


ness,  and  it  takes  a real  man  or  a real  woman  to 
stand  it.  Aid  isn’t  the  thing  at  all,  nor  do  looks 
count  for  half  as  much  as  people  suppose.  It’s 
what’s  back  of  the  art  and  the  looks  that  makes 
the  hit,  and  if  they  haven’t  got  something,  the 
artist  and  the  beauty  don’t  last  long.  We  picked 
Douglas  Fairbanks  as  a likely  film  star,  not  on 
account  of  his  stunts,  as  the  majority  think,  but 
because  of  the  splendid  humanness  that  fairly 
oozed  out  of  him.” 

When  he  isn’t  before  the  camera,  or  fooling 
with  an  airship  or  a motor,  or  playing  with  chil- 
dren, or  “gettin’  acquainted”  with  a tramp  or  a 
trapper,  or  practising  stunts  with  a rope  or  a 
horse,  young  Mr.  Fairbanks  fills  in  his  spare  time 
writing  scenarios.  As  everyone  knows,  the  mo- 
tion-picture drama  has  been  a tawdry  thing  for 
the  most  part — either  a rehash  of  old  stage  plays, 
novels,  and  short  stories,  or  else  mediocre  “origi- 
nalities” that  epitomized  banality.  Young  Mr. 
Fairbanks  dissented  from  the  established  custom 
from  the  very  start. 

“It’s  all  wrong,”  he  declared.  “We’ve  got  to 


184 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


stand  on  our  own  feet.  Develop  your  own 
dramatists !” 

Practically  every  play  in  which  he  has  ap- 
peared sprang  from  his  personal  suggestion,  and 
in  many  of  them  he  has  collaborated  with  the 
scenario  writer.  The  three  things  that  he  de- 
mands are  Action,  Wholesomeness,  and  Senti- 
ment that  rings  true. 

Never  make  the  mistake  of  thinking  that 
Douglas  Fairbanks  starts  and  finishes  with  mere 
good  humor  and  physical  exuberance.  There  is 
more  to  him  than  his  grin,  for  his  mind  is  as 
strong  and  vigorous  as  his  body.  He  reads  and 
thinks,  and  behind  his  smile  is  a quick  and  eager 
sympathy  that  takes  account  of  the  sadnesses  of 
life  as  well  as  its  promises. 

“The  Habit  of  Happiness”  was  very  much  his 
own  idea,  and  in  it  he  took  occasion  to  show  a 
midnight  bread-line,  the  misery  of  the  slums,  and 
various  forms  of  social  injustice.  It  isn’t  that 
he  thinks  himself  called  to  uplift  and  reform,  but, 
as  he  expresses  it.  “Every  little  bit  helps.” 

In  the  last  talk  that  I had  with  him,  he  was 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  185 


enthusiastic  over  the  future  of  the  movies  as  a 
world  force.  He  speaks  in  ideas  rather  than 
words,  for  when  he  feels  that  he  has  indicated  the 
thought  he  never  troubles  to  finish  the  particular 
sentence. 

“Pictures  are  like  music,”  he  declared.  “They 
speak  a universal  language.  Great  industry — 
just  in  its  infancy — before  long  films  will  pass 
from  one  country  to  another — internationalism. 
Why  not?  Love,  hate,  grief,  ambition,  laughter 
— they  belong  to  one  race  as  much  as  another — 
all  peoples  understand  them.  It’s  hard  to  hate 
people  after  you  know  them.  Pictures  will  let 
us  know  each  other.  They’ll  break  down  the 
hard  national  lines  that  now  make  for  war  and 
suspicion.” 

Other  things  followed,  for  we  discussed  every- 
thing from  cabbages  to  kings,  and  then  I 
plumped  the  question  at  him  that  I had  been 
waiting  to  ask  from  the  first. 

“How  do  you  like  the  movies  as  compared  to 
the  speaking  drama?  Come  now,  cross  your 
heart  and  hope  to  die.  When  the  night  comes 


186 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


down  and  the  lights  go  up,  isn’t  there  a blue 
minute  now  and  then?” 

“Surest  thing  you  know,”  he  grinned.  “It 
isn’t  because  there’s  such  a radical  difference 
between  the  ‘talkies’  and  the  movies,  however.” 
[He  refers  to  musical  comedy  as  the  “scream- 
ies.”]  “The  play  in  the  theatre  is  largely  a mat- 
ter of  pantomime,  you  know.  Dialogue  is  em- 
ployed to  advance  the  actual  plot  only  when  it 
is  impossible  or  impracticable  to  do  it  with  dumb 
show.  And  when  I think  of  some  of  the  lines 
I’ve  been  called  upon  to  spout,  I can’t  say  that  I 
regret  the  movies’  lack  of  dialogue. 

“What  does  hurt,  though,”  he  admitted,  “is 
the  absence  of  response.  I don’t  mean  applause, 
but  the  something  that  comes  up  over  the  foot- 
lights to  you  from  the  audience,  the  big  some- 
thing that  tells  you  instantly  whether  you  have 
hit  it  or  missed,  whether  you  are  ringing  true  or 
false.  You  don’t  get  that  in  the  pictures.  Your 
audience  is  the  director,  and  you  know  that  it  will 
be  weeks  or  months  before  your  work  is  going 
to  get  its  test. 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  187 


“But  in  everything  else,  the  movie  has  the 
talkie  skinned  a mile.  Instead  of  mouthing 
somebody  else’s  words,  you  are  doing  the  thing 
yourself.  There’s  action,  and  life — one  day  you 
are  in  the  forest,  the  next  in  the  desert,  the  next 
on  the  sea.” 

“Nonsense!”  I exclaimed.  “I  understand  that 
it’s  all  done  in  a studio.” 

“I  had  the  idea  myself,”  he  laughed.  “But  no 
more.  When  I was  in  the  ‘talkies,’  I used  to  hear 
a lot  about  realism.  Father  must  wash  in  a real 
basin  with  real  water  and  real  soap.  There  had 
to  be  two  hens  at  least  in  every  barnyard  scene, 
and  when  Lottie  came  home  from  the  cruel  city, 
she  had  to  have  a real  baby  in  her  arms.  Lordy, 
I never  knew  what  realism  was  until  I struck 
the  movies.  They’ve  gone  crazy  over  it. 

“ ‘The  Half-Breed,’  you  know,  was  adapted 
from  one  of  Bret  Harte’s  stories,  and  nothing 
would  do  the  director  but  a trip  up  to  the  Car- 
quinez  woods  in  northern  California.  A forest 
fire  figured  in  one  of  the  scenes,  but  I never 
thought  much  about  it  until  I saw  them  bringing 


188 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


up  some  chemical  engines,  hose  reels,  and  five 
or  six  fire-brigades. 

“ ‘What’s  the  idea?’  I asked. 

“ ‘To  keep  the  flames  from  spreading,’  they 
told  me. 

“And  let  me  tell  you,  it  was  some  fire.  After 
I got  out  of  it  I felt  like  a shave  from  a Mexican 
barber.” 

“What  effect  is  the  movie  going  to  have  on  the 
speaking  drama?”  was  my  next  question. 

“Look  at  the  effect  it’s  had  already,”  he  said. 
“Shaw  is  the  only  playwright  clever  enough  to 
write  dialogue  that  will  hold  any  number  of  peo- 
ple in  the  theatre.  The  motion  picture  has  made 
the  public  demand  action.  It  has  changed  the 
plot  and  progress  of  the  drama  completely.” 

“Do  you  think  that  a good  thing?  Doesn’t  it 
mean  the  substitution  of  feeling  for  thinking?” 

“Well,”  he  ansAvered  slowly,  “the  world  goes 
forward  through  the  heart  rather  than  through 
the  head.  Happiness,  to  my  mind,  is  emotional, 
not  mental.  And  the  movie  has  brought  happi- 


A “CLOSE-UP”  OF  DOUGLAS  FAIRBANKS  189 


ness  to  millions  whose  lives  were  formerly  drab 
and  sordid.  I love  to  go  into  these  little  halls  in 
out-of-the-way  places,  and  see  the  men,  women, 
and  children  packed  there  of  an  evening. 
Theatrical  companies  never  reached  the  villages, 
and  the  men  had  no  place  but  the  saloon,  the 
women  no  place  but  the  kitchen  or  the  front 
porch.  The  camera  has  brought  the  world  to 
their  doors,  and  hfe  is  richer,  happier,  and  better 
for  it.” 

Take  him  as  he  stands,  and  Douglas  Fair- 
banks comes  close  to  being  the  “real  thing.” 
Men  like  him  as  well  as  women,  and,  best  proof 
of  all,  the  “kids”  adore  him.  On  a recent  visit 
to  Denver,  his  old  home  tov/n,  youngsters  fol- 
lowed him  in  droves,  clamoring  for  a chance  to 
“feel  his  muscle.”  The  mayor,  no  less,  had  him 
address  a public  meeting,  the  feature  of  which, 
by  the  way,  was  this  piped  inquiry  from  the 
gallery : 

“Say,  Doug,  can  youse  whip  William  Far- 
num  ?” 


190 


LAUGH  AND  LIVE 


And  let  no  one  quarrel  with  this  popularity. 
It  is  a good  sign,  a healthful  sign,  a token  that 
the  blood  of  Ameriea  still  runs  warm  and  red, 
and  that  chalk  has  not  yet  softened  our  bones. 


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